Off into the Sunset
by Jeanie205
Summary: Dani and Nico are taking a little R & R after a tough six months at V3. Where are they off to, who will they visit, and how will their relationship evolve as they spend a couple of weeks together? And, hey, what about that plane!
1. Chapter 1: Vacation Planning

Chapter 1: Vacation Planning

"So, you think we're gonna just drive off into the sunset…Dominic?" Dani said with a teasing smile.

"Who said anything about driving?"

"Whoa! As I recall, the last time you said that to me, I ended up on a helicopter going up and down the Jersey coast. No helicopters!"

Nico chuckled. "And _I_ seem to recall that you never stopped complaining about that chopper the entire time we were on it. So, no, I don't think I'd like to repeat that experience. Besides, it wouldn't be too practical. I think that this time our mode of transportation needs to be a bit less noisy, and have a little more range.

"Thank God! But, wait, I've already got my ticket to Barcelona, so what?..."

"Don't worry. I'll turn it in, take care of all the arrangements and send a car for you.."

"Wait a minute! Don't I even get to know where we're going?" Her expression had been happy, teasing, but now the "Dani-squint" was beginning to make an appearance.

"Dani, do you trust me?" And while that soft, teasing smile was still on his face, the one that made her toes curl and her heart beat faster, his eyes told her that this was a serious question. One he wanted an answer to.

"I do, Nico, I trust you. It's just that it's hard to pack for a trip if you don't know where you're going."

Nico glanced at the two suitcases already packed and waiting by the door, and then at the one still on the floor. "About that, Dani. Three suitcases? Really? Just to visit Jeanette? Which one is full of your shoes?"

The squint was back as she swatted him on the arm. "Well, I was a little distracted while I was packing. I mean"… oh, God, why had she brought that up when everything seemed like maybe it was gonna be OK?

"I know what you mean," he said softly. He stepped a little closer and wrapped her up in his arms.

Dani sighed softly against his chest. "I think I can rearrange things a little. But I still need to know where we're going."

Nico thought for a moment. "If you packed for Barcelona, you should be OK. Maybe take a couple of sweaters. It _is _January, and we're not heading to the tropics."

Dani stayed in his arms a moment longer, but when she stepped back, looked up at him, and squared her shoulders with a little shake, Nico just knew that she still had something on her mind, something that she felt needed to be resolved before she allowed him one inch further into her life.

Now what? He'd been on pins and needles for the past several days, making arrangements and wrapping up the details of his life, determined that he could persuade her to take this trip with him, the one that she herself had suggested only a few days ago. He wanted, no he _needed_, some time alone with her to explore and strengthen that connection between them, that current of electricity that had flowed between them for so long, unacknowledged.

Nico hadn't known how to explain to Dani that he wanted to be completely open with her, so he'd simply begun spewing out random facts about himself. He was a methodical man, so he figured he'd start right from the beginning, with the name on his birth certificate. It had felt so unnatural to just give away information about himself, after all his years of hiding in plain sight. The concept of "need to know basis" had permeated every aspect of his life. But this was Dani, and he knew he was never going to be able to have her in his life unless he let her in all the way.

"I know that expression, Dani. What is it you want to know?" And now she'd balled her hands into fists and moved away from him completely. He could feel the warmth disappear, even though she was just a couple of feet away. "I thought you understood that you can ask me about anything, but we don't have much time right now, and we'll have plenty of time to talk later."

As always, his voice was calm and his expression unruffled, but inside he was suddenly terrified. He'd relaxed, let down his guard, and thought that she was going to finally give him a chance - give _them_ a chance.

"Alex. I want to know about Alex."

He was puzzled, and it showed on his face. "We talked about my marriage to Alex, Dani, or at least I tried to explain to you how it was. What else is it you need to know that can't wait a little while?"

A mix of emotions showed on her face, but she was most of all resolute. "I need to know why she reappeared in your life_ now_, Nico. And why your marriage of convenience didn't become _inconvenient_ a long time ago," she said quietly.

Dani's voice was a little shaky. This, after all, was the elephant in the room, the reason that this "thing" between them had almost ended before it had begun. What am I doing, she thought? Why do I need to bring this up _now_? But she knew that despite how she felt about Nico – and hadn't she had trouble coming to terms with that! – she couldn't just ignore the..the _fact_ of Alex. She'd met her, for God's sakes. Been introduced to her as his _wife_. Shaken hands with her, goddammit! Before she took one more step into this relationship, she needed to know if Alex (_oh, God_) was going to be a factor in her future.

Nico sighed. He didn't want to take the time to do this right now, but he knew he had to. Dani hated deception, but she also hated concealment, and she always wanted, make that _needed_, to know the entire truth. And he had all these compartments in his life that he'd kept separate and locked away for so many years, but he knew he was going to have to open that one door before he even left this room.

"Nico?"

"Sit down, Dani." And there he was, sitting on Dani's couch, trying to explain his fucked up life to her – again. At least it was a different couch.

"Do you remember the night I told you that I'd been married? You were having dinner with your doctor friend at my Tuesday night place."

Oh, Dani remembered THAT night very well. First Nico had interrupted her date with JD Aldridge, then he'd dropped the fact that he had an ex-wife during a very casual conversation with JD, a man he had just met! She'd been so pissed because she'd been working with Nico for months and _she_ hadn't heard anything about a wife. And she remembered now with a sigh, she'd also been pissed because after he'd left, the rest of her date with JD had seemed a little dull and a little flat, like the life had gone out of the evening.

"Yeah, I remember that. I also distinctly remember you talking about an EX-wife."

"Because that's how I've thought of her for years. The marriage hadn't been a real one." He sighed, willing her to understand. "I explained to you that there had been a relationship at times, but it was never one that would have led to a marriage if it hadn't been absolutely necessary. Later, when my life changed, when I got out of my previous type of …employment…I just put it all behind me. It didn't matter, because in my mind I wasn't going to ever be in a position to care whether or not I was legally married. Alex had her own life. She knew where I was and if she had ever needed to end the marriage legally, I certainly wouldn't have stood in her way."

Nico looked Dani in the eye, trying to judge how to explain this next part. "A little over a year ago… about the time that Marshall Pittman died…I began to realize that I needed to somehow put my personal life in order. Hell, at that point did I even have a personal life? Work and sleep, that was pretty much it; everything else was purely incidental."

He took hold of one of Dani's hands, unfolded it from its ball, and began to slowly caress the back of it.

"But then it was brought to my attention very forcibly that I needed to cut some of the strings that I had to my past, even if I hadn't thought about them in years. That was the only way I would be able to …move on. One of the things I knew I had to do was to finally extricate myself from my marriage to Alex, to actually make her an ex-wife."

Dani pulled her hand away. "And this was around the time that Marshall died, Nico?" Her voice was a little faint, a little uncertain, so unlike her usual confident tone.

"Yes." His eyebrows quirked up in that patented Nico quizzical look, as he wondered what had caused the change in her manner. Once he'd mentioned the timeline, he'd been so sure that she'd make the obvious connection.

Dani was silent, trying to find a way to put her question so it didn't sound all jealous and needy. No way to do that, she finally realized.

"So, was it because of Gabrielle? Marshall was dead and you could be with Gabrielle? You wouldn't be betraying your best friend, and you'd been in love with her for all those years – how many? 20 something? – and now if only you were legally free to make her your wife.."

"STOP! Dani, what the hell! None of this has anything to do with Gabrielle! Or ever did have anything to do with her. And if you recall, the Pittmans were divorced by then, so if I'd wanted to have anything more to do with Gabrielle, I didn't need to wait for Marshall's death to…to… jump into her bed! So why would you even think that?!"

"Because you never said that you weren't still in love with her. That night in my car when you told me about your relationship with Gabrielle, I asked you if you were still in love with her, and you said nothing at all, but I knew what your silence meant. It meant that you were still in love with her but you didn't want to tell me, because maybe you were a little ashamed, maybe you thought I'd think less of you, maybe…"

"Jesus Christ, Dani, you'll be the death of me! I didn't know that your psychology training included mind reading." He pulled her into his embrace and began rubbing his hands up and down her back. Dani shivered, just like she always did when she got this close to Nico.

"I didn't answer when you asked me that partly because it's just a habit I have – one I know I'm going to have to break, at least with you, so that my silence doesn't send you running off with hare-brained interpretations of your own. But mostly, I just needed to process what we'd discussed, run it through my head, and understand what had been right in front of me for a long time.

"If you'd pressed me for answer that night" he gave a little chuckle, "if I'd _allowed myself_ to be pressed, I probably would have told you that I didn't love Gabrielle, that I hadn't for years, and that I wondered if what I'd thought was love all those years wasn't some strange addiction brought on by the fact that I'd lost her to Marshall. When that had happened, I'd only dealt with the_ fact_ of it, and never considered what it revealed about Gabrielle's character. No, that part took me another 20 years," he said ruefully.

Nico moved back a little from Dani so that he could look her in the eye.

"Last year, when I decided to finally end my sham of a marriage to Alex, I never gave a thought to Gabrielle "

"Then why …then?"

It puzzled him how the normally perspicacious Dr. Santino could sometimes be so obtuse.

"Dani, we only ever talked about it in those damned four-word sentences, but I can't believe that you've forgotten what happened on your back porch the night they found Marshall's body. My God, we were…I was…" He shook his head, unable to even verbalize his astonishment at the intensity of the passion that had swept them both nearly to her bedroom, and had ended only with that phone call about Ray Jay's arrest.

Dani blushed, vividly remembering her almost wanton behavior that night with a man she had, up to that point, considered just a friend. And then the penny dropped, and a smile lit her face.

"It was because of that… because of me?"

Nico shook his head and smiled at her softly. "Of course it was, even though I didn't have any idea what to do about you… didn't know if there was any chance at all that I could persuade you to let me into your life. But I knew I had to disentangle my past if I was ever going to have any kind of future.

"So I decided to start the process of divorcing Alex. You have to understand, at that time I hadn't actually seen Alex in almost 10 years, and I hadn't heard from her in nearly 5. But it wasn't until I started looking for her that I realized there was going to be a problem. I needed her signature if I was going to be able to get a no-fault divorce, which would be the quickest way to end the marriage. But I couldn't find her. _I just couldn't goddamn find her!_"

Nico shook his head and ran his hands over his face, his normally calm manner deserting him as he remembered again the frustration he'd felt when after several weeks of searching, all his connections and all his resources had been unable to locate Alex Careles. By that point, his primary reason for wanting to end his marriage of convenience had become somewhat less compelling, but he'd still recognized the need to put that part of his life behind him.

He laughed ruefully. "I finally did manage to locate Alex, after I was working as a…uh…consultant for the FBI, but before you came to work at V3. By that time she had been picked up by ICE and was about to be deported.

"And here is the irony. While researching me so that they could use certain… _irregularities…_in my background to force me into working for them, the FBI discovered that I was trying to find Alex. While I have good resources, they don't compare with the U.S. government, so they were actually able to locate her.

"Turns out the reason she had been keeping such a low profile was that she was desperately trying to stay one step ahead of Immigration. When my search brought her to the feds' attention, it wasn't long before they picked her up. So basically, I led them right to her, Dani, a situation that I was not happy about.

"Agent Bennett was able to both delay her deportation and get me in to see her. I brought the divorce papers with me and asked her to sign them right then. She didn't have any objection, really, but she just wouldn't commit to signing them immediately. I know she saw me as her one chance of avoiding deportation, and I promised to try to help her with that. I gave her an envelope to mail the papers to me at V3 if she ever decided to sign them. She promised she would, if I could somehow get her a green card so that she could stay in this country.

"The day that I gave Agent Bennett the drugs from the V3 clinic, he told me that ICE had released Alex. I expected her to mail me the signed papers. It's one of the reasons I wanted to stay at V3 for a while. I was expecting those damned divorce paper – signed – and my interest in having them in hand had become, by that point, my highest priority."

Nico looked at her intently, and Dani didn't pretend to misunderstand.

"Never in a million years did I expect her to just show up at V3. Besides the pain that I know it caused you, there was every possibility that it would somehow blow my cover. No matter what went down with the investigation, I never wanted anyone to discover that the feds had planted me in that organization. It would _not_ have enhanced my reputation. Since I passed on the Dallas job, I never did give V3 my notice. So…I don't know…I seem to be still employed, so maybe my cover is still intact."

"And the divorce papers?" Dani asked. _ Her_ priority was pretty clear.

"Alex gave them to me when I dropped her off at the airport. Having my attorney file them with the court was at the top of my priority list. He phoned me to confirm they were filed yesterday."

Dani sat there silently for a minute, while Nico waited.

"So you're divorced? No wife? No marriage, convenient or otherwise?

"I am a single man," Nico smiled at her.

"Hey, buddy, I don't think so," she squinted up at him.

Nico chuckled, and leaned over to kiss her softly. It was a simple kiss, just a brushing of his lips on hers, a need to maintain connection. In her relief, Dani instinctively tried to deepen and prolong the kiss, but Nico reluctantly pulled away with a sigh.

"No time right now, we're on a schedule." He moved back from her, dropping his hands from her shoulders. "To be continued."

"OK," she laughed. "I'm going to hold you to that!"

Nico looked down at their hands, and then up at her, and Dani knew that there was still something else that he wanted to say. She could see how difficult it was for him to just freely offer information. It was a moment she was familiar with; it happened all the time with her patients. A little bit of Dr. Dani kicked in as she sat and waited for him to decide how to continue.

"You know, Dani, I wanted to tell you about Alex, considered doing so on more than one occasion, but it just never seemed to be the right time. Things were always so …tentative…between us, even more so over the past 6 months. Lately…well, I hoped that there'd be a good reason that you'd need to know, but I was waiting for a certain _comfort level_ in bringing up the subject." He laughed ruefully. "I didn't want to lie, but I also didn't want to admit that I was still legally married. So I thought if I just waited long enough, I could _truthfully_ tell you about my _ex-wife_. I wanted to control the information, control the situation. You know me, Dani, it's what I do.

"And then everything happened so fast that night. I'd reached a level of frustration about…our situation, a point where I just needed to _know_." He paused and shook his head, still amazed. "Only in my wildest fantasies did I ever think that you would kiss me like that, that you would just _be there_ so suddenly, after sitting on that fence for so damned long. But I guess I should have known, because the Dani Santino I know is either all in or all out."

His look became a little smug then, a ghost of a smile hovering around his mouth, "I don't recall that you were much interested in conversation after that."

Her face a study in embarrassment, Dani remembered her impetuous decision to stop fighting it and _just let it happen already_. She recalled reaching the top of the stairs and wondering if Nico had even followed her. It seemed funny now. She hadn't even made it to her bedroom door before he'd swept her into his arms in a scorching kiss.

Bliss.

They'd tried to talk to each other that night; it was what they were good at. But somehow other…activities…kept interrupting. They'd both been so damned happy that they couldn't keep the smiles off their faces. And every smile had led to a caress, every caress to a kiss - and then neither one of them had been inclined toward conversation.

"So are we good, Dani? About Alex, I mean?" His expression, as always, gave nothing away, but she knew him well enough to know that there was tension beneath that calm surface and behind that simple question.

Dani took her time, wanting to be sure before she answered. Nico had told her the whole story, and he deserved to know she wouldn't bring it up again.

"Yeah, Nico, we're good. In fact, we're very, very good." She grinned happily.


	2. Chapter 2: A Special Hairdo

Chapter 2: A Special Hairdo

Dani had been running around like the proverbial headless chicken ever since Nico left, trying to get everything done before the car arrived to take her to the airport.

They were on a schedule, he'd told her, although he'd not said why. They'd discussed how long they'd be able to vacation. Two weeks, Dani had told him. She didn't want to be away from Lindsay any longer than that, and that's how long she'd said she'd be away from V3. Nico had seemed OK with that.

With his help, she'd rearranged and consolidated into one case the contents of the two suitcases she'd already packed, so Nico could take it with him immediately. He'd laughed and shaken his head at her when she'd reluctantly removed six pairs of shoes from her travel wardrobe. She'd also taken out her fluffy bathrobe, the one that she'd packed that morning when she'd thought she might need a little …comfort. Nico had assured her with a twinkle in his eye that she wouldn't need the robe for cuddling, and she decided to pack something lighter and more suitcase-friendly.

They'd just finished that job when Nico had frowned and glanced at his watch. "We're really going to have to hustle, Dani." She could see him working it all out in his head.

"We're going to be cutting it close time-wise, so before the car picks you up, maybe you could change into something that would be appropriate for, say, dinner at an upscale restaurant? Not a cocktail dress, just something a little…I don't know, nice."

"Something…nice?" Men were sometimes clueless when it came to feminine attire.

"What about that green dress, the one that you wore to the MV3?" His face softened, remembering how he'd struggled unsuccessfully to conceal his attraction to her when she'd shown up at the V3 party wearing that dress.

Dani remembered how Nico had looked at her that night. His warm glance had made her tingle all over - and had given her hope. It was the first time since she'd come to work at V3 that Dani had let herself think that perhaps Nico was not as indifferent to her as he'd seemed, and that maybe, just maybe, he still admired her, still cared about her…still wanted her. "You look beautiful," he'd said, staring at her with such intensity that she'd blushed for the first time in years, and been speechless.

Her voice was a little breathless now, her mind recalling that night. "It's packed. The green dress. It's packed. But I'm sure I can find something else."

Nico had stepped a little closer, as though he couldn't help himself. "Then what about your hair?" he'd asked softly, as his hand reached to stroke the right side of her neck, where she had pulled her hair into a low knot on the night of the party. "So beautiful that way, so sexy." His hand had caressed her cheek, and suddenly she could hardly stand up.

And this time he'd given in to the impulse and pulled her against him, kissing her like he never wanted to stop, all thought of schedules completely evaporating.

They were both breathless when he'd finally pulled away, a fire still alight in his eyes, his hands still resting on either side of her face, his entire being still intensely focused on her.

With a small shake of his head, he'd growled, "Got to leave now," turned around, picked up her suitcase, and was almost out the door.

"My hair," Dani had called after him softly. "I can do that."

XXXXXXXXXX

And now she was methodically listing under her breath what she had left to do before the car arrived to pick her up, including the complicated hairdo.

Dani considered whether she should call Lindsay and her mother to let them know about the change in her vacation plans, but finally decided against it. What difference did it make, really? She was still going to be reachable on her cell, no matter where she was. And perhaps a call at this particular time would be a bit, um, _premature_.

Oh, yes, Dani could just imagine her mother's reaction as she laid it all out for her.

"_Hey, Ma, I'm still going on my trip, but I'm not going to visit Jeanette, or maybe I am, just not sure when, and oh, by the way, you remember Nico from when I worked at the Hawks, well, I'm going to be vacationing with him, and oh, yeah, I don't think I told you that I've started a…um…something with him, not sure exactly what, and I think I forgot to say that I don't know where the hell we're actually going."_

No, no, she definitely wasn't having _that_ conversation.

As for Lindsay, the plan had been that she would stay with Ray while Dani was gone, and that hadn't changed. Really, it seemed like Lindsay hardly needed her anymore. At 18, she was so adult, so sensible. She'd already been accepted at Columbia under the early admissions program, and she was just coasting, albeit responsibly, through her last semester of high school.

Nope, she'd call them both when they got to …somewhere… and make an explanation…of sorts. Oh, boy, she was so _not_ looking forward to that. She'd always been the responsible daughter and the dependable mom, and they were both going to think she was demented. She grinned to herself. Maybe she was. Couldn't be helped.

Jeanette was a different story. Dani had called her before she'd booked the ticket to Barcelona, telling her only that she was coming for a visit. She'd not been in a very good frame of mind when she'd talked to Jeanette. No, scratch that, she'd been a mess.

She sighed. Over the past few days Dani had been on a roller coaster of emotions, the highs so far up there that she'd never again wonder about the expression "cloud nine." But then there were the lows. She was so afraid of being hurt, and so vulnerable where Nico was concerned, that she really hadn't listened to him. Not really.

While she was still working, still making sure that things were OK with TK and OK with Hutch, she'd been able to just stay in Dr. Santino mode and push her personal life aside. But then the situation at V3 had reached a point where she couldn't actually _do_ anything for anyone. Without the distraction of work, she could no longer ignore the feeling of panic, wondering if she'd lost Nico forever.

After a sleepless night envisioning him on a plane to Dallas, or, God help her, _someplace else where she wouldn't be able to find him for_ _another 6 months or maybe ever_, she was both exhausted and unable to sit still. When she'd reached the point where she thought her brain was going to explode, she'd canceled her appointments, called Jeanette, and booked her ticket.

She knew she'd been a little crazed at that point. She'd packed twelve pairs of shoes, for God sakes; that was a little excessive, even for Dani.

She was just trying to hold it all together when Nico had walked through her front door. She could hardly believe it. She'd tried to remain calm, ready for anything he might have to say, but her hands had shaken so, she hadn't been able to zip her suitcase. She'd just sat there, tugging at the pull, until Nico had taken it out of her hands and done it for her.

She remembered again the small burst of hope she'd felt when he'd told her that he had passed on the Dallas job. And the smile that she couldn't hold back as he'd suddenly started to spill out little bits and pieces of his life. "I thought I'd grab some R and R," he'd said. "Thought you might like to come with me."

Cloud time again. She'd really like to stay there this time

She frowned a little now, wondering how she was going to explain her change of plans to Jeanette. She decided to try Skyping, and considering the 6-hour time difference, it was probably now or never.

Her laptop set up on the kitchen island, she made herself a cup of tea. She was so wired up, she really needed something soothing, and tea always did it for Dani.

Jeanette came on the line almost immediately, as if she'd known that Dani might be trying to reach her.

"Hey," she said. "Shouldn't you be on a plane right about now, or at least at the airport?"

"Slight change of plans, Jeanette."

Jeanette was silent, waiting for Dani's explanation.

"Er…um…I think I'm going to get to Barcelona pretty soon, but not today. My itinerary's been kind of …uh…rearranged."

Jeanette's frown became a look of puzzlement.

"Soooo," she rushed ahead, "my solo trip is no more. I'm, uh, taking a little vacation with, um, Nico." Her voice wound down and trailed off at the end. Jeanette had never met Nico, only heard about him from many conversations with Dani, and lately those had bordered on rants.

"Wait a minute! Did you say you were traveling with Nico? Did I hear _Nico_?" her puzzled frown starting to give way to a small smile.

"Uh, yeah, Jeanette, that's what I said…"

"I knew it! _I knew it!_" And now she was squealing. "Every phone call for the last couple of months you just couldn't shut up about him! Just a colleague, my ass! What the hell has been going on between you and the International Man of Mystery, Dani Romano?" She was grinning from ear to ear.

Dani put her face in her hands, a small blush rising. She'd known that Jeanette would be looking for details, but she didn't think she could quite explain how it had all happened so quickly. She'd need a face-to-face in the same time zone for that conversation.

"So, did you have hate sex, like I suggested?"

"Not exactly."

"Aha! But there was some removal of clothing and exchange of bodily fluids!"

"Jeanette!"

"Oh, my God, Dani. I _knew_ I should have made a bet with you about ending up in bed with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Mysterious? You were so in denial, I could have made a fortune! So, can you at least give me the capsule version?"

"I don't know what to say, Jeanette. I'm just…happy."

"Oh, Dani. That pretty much tells me everything I need to know - FOR NOW. But I want to meet this guy. In fact, I _insist_ on it. You make sure that you get here soon."

After she'd logged off, Dani had realized just how little time she had to finish getting ready. And that hair-do always took her some time. Today, since she was all butterfingers, who knew if she'd even be able to get it right? But she had to. She'd promised Nico.

_Oh, God, what the hell was wrong with her? She was turning into a 13-year-old, and she'd hated 13 the first time around._

But she'd managed the hair style, and even found a sexy red dress that she'd bought a while ago, but never worn. She hoped it was what he had in mind. When you didn't know what you were getting dressed up for…well, men just didn't understand that there were nuances to women's clothing. If this wasn't appropriate, well, it was too late to change now.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani had finished packing her smaller case, again hoping that she'd included the right items, and was waiting in her living room when the car Nico had sent for her pulled into her driveway. They'd driven for only a short time before she realized that they weren't going to either JFK or LaGuardia.

"Um, where are we going?" she asked the driver.

"Regional airport in Bethpage, Ma'am, er, Doctor."

OK, that's where the V3 plane was kept, so maybe that's what they were taking. It didn't really make much sense to her, given the unknowns in Nico's relationship with V3 at this point, but Nico was without question the most resourceful person she had ever met, so she would never doubt his ability to make any situation work to his advantage.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You have a plane?" She'd stopped in her tracks when he'd told her it was _his_ plane.

"I think there are some things you need to know about me."

"Well, if that isn't the understatement of the year. I'm pretty sure there are plenty of things I need to know about you. You aren't going to fly this thing, too, are you?"

"No, no. I do have a pilot's license, but I'm not rated for anything this big. We have two very competent pilots to take us where we need to go."

"And where is that exactly?"

"Let's get on board, Dani, and stow your suitcase. Then we can take off and you can start asking me all those questions I can see hovering there on the tip of your tongue."

Boarded, luggage stowed, they buckled up and the plane took off.

"I can't believe you have a plane. _A plane_."

"Well, first of all, I don't own 100% of the plane. I'm part of a consortium of owners. A lot of…business people…have part ownership in small jets. Marshall is the one who asked if I wanted to buy in, and it's proven very convenient over the years. I originally had a 20% ownership in this plane, but when Marshall died, he left me his 20%, so now I'm a two-fifths owner."

"I'm confused. I thought Marshall had another plane, I mean, the one he went down in."

"He did. It was a small two-seater, and that one we were both rated to fly. This one, he mostly used for business trips, and, let's face it, when he was trying to impress someone he wanted to do business with."

"But Marshall was a billionaire. I mean, he owned a frickin' football team!"

She paused and looked at him like he was someone she didn't even know.

"You're not, not…"

He laughed.

"Hardly. No, I just got paid exorbitant amounts of money, that I rarely had the opportunity to spend, for a lot of years. I made some good investments, even managed to weather the last stock market fiasco, so I'm in decent shape financially."

"Decent. Right. Geez, Nico, you own two-fifths of a jet plane!"

"It's a small jet, Dani."

"Oh, my God, so where are we going, to your castle in Scotland, or your house on the Riviera?"

Nico just laughed. "Well, I do own some real estate, but there are no castles in my portfolio and I've really never cared for the south of France." He hesitated just a bit. "Our vacation itinerary does include some places I think you'll like, but first we're going to take a little side trip – just for the weekend – to Pittsburgh. I'm way under my allotted usage time on the plane and this was the fastest way to get us where we need to be."

"Pittsburgh." Oh, God, this was scarier than the castle in Scotland. "You're from Pittsburgh. Is there a connection?" She asked her question haltingly.

"There is indeed. We're actually going to an anniversary party tonight."

Dani's hands started to shake and she stilled them with an effort.

"An anniversary party…for whom?"

"Well, specifically, a 50th wedding anniversary party for Dominic and Julia Careles – my parents."

Dani Santino, who was afraid of nothing and no one, not even the very intimidating man sitting beside her, gave a little gasp.

"You're taking me to meet your family? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want you to have time to think about it too much. Because I really wanted you to meet them. And, even more importantly, I really wanted them to meet you. And this seemed like a good opportunity."

"But how long have you known about this party?"

"Oh, for some time. But with everything that's been going on, I just didn't think that I'd actually be able to make it. My sister planned the whole thing, and I was finally able to text her today and tell her I'd be there."

Nico sighed. "Look, Dani, if you really don't want to go, I mean if it's asking too much, I won't mind at all if you just stay in the hotel. I don't have to stay at the party too long."

Dani just looked at him and shook her head. Then she leaned over and kissed him softly, caressing his cheek.

"Nico Careles, if you think that I would give up the chance to meet your family, or in any way curtail the amount of time that you get to spend with them, then I really wonder if you know me at all. Of course I want to go. I was just surprised…and…and honored."

She could see Nico visibly relax, as he looked at her with that soft open look she'd never seen him turn on anyone else – not even Juliette Pittman. And she just didn't know what to do with all the feelings that rose up inside her. Oh, God, she thought, there's probably not a lot that I wouldn't do for this man. Happily.

"So Dominic, huh? So you're a junior?"

"Not really. We have different middle names. But I guess that's why I was always 'Nico'. My dad is 'Dom.' Dani, I know you've got a million questions for me, but this trip won't take that long, and maybe I should fill you in on my family, so you'll understand all the players and positions before we get to the party."

"I didn't know you were into sports metaphors," she teased. "OK, go ahead, that's probably a good idea."

"So I believe I told you earlier that I had three brothers and two sisters. My sister Elizabeth – Liz – is just a couple of years younger than I am, and we were always close growing up. She's an elementary school teacher, married, has a couple of kids in college. She quarterbacked this whole event."

Dani couldn't help laughing again. "Quarterbacked, huh?"

"It's a 'guy thing.'" He smirked a little. "So a couple of years younger than Liz are the twins, Nate and David. They work in construction; in fact they have their own company, Careles Brothers. Also both married with kids."

"And they still live in the Pittsburgh area?"

"Yup. Those three still do. My brother Tony is next. He's a lawyer, twice-divorced, lives in California. Tony is kind of a …player."

"Is that another sports metaphor?"

"Not that kind of player." He paused, looking at Dani and thinking about his brother Tony. "Look, Dani, if Tony says anything…um…inappropriate to you…" He hesitated, unsure how to phrase what he wanted to convey.

But Dani got the idea. "Nico, you think your brother might _hit on_ me? Even after I arrive with you?" She was incredulous.

"Never know. Always best to be prepared."

"How much younger is Tony than you?"

"Eight years. If I know Tony, you'll be on his radar the moment we arrive."

Dani just laughed. "I think you're over-estimating my charms."

Nico just shook his head and smiled at her. She really had no idea.

"And what about your other sister?"

"Annie is the baby of the family, eight years younger than Tony. I'm pretty sure my folks thought they were done with diapers by the time she came along. Annie was so much younger than the rest of us that she pretty much always got the royal treatment. She lives in Atlanta with her boyfriend, or maybe it's her fiancé by now, although I haven't heard of any wedding plans. She's kind of a free spirit, creative. She owns her own florist shop."

"Owns her own business at her age? Wow, that's impressive."

"It is," he said, "and it's doing very well." There was some pride in his voice.

Dani paused. "And you know this because…" And she suddenly knew. "Because you helped her to start the business, probably provided some start-up capital, a business advisor, helped her find the right location, et cetera, et cetera. Am I right?"

He always forgot how good she was at reading people, especially him. She picked up on everything.

"I may have provided a bit of assistance in the beginning, but she paid me back a long time ago."

Dani looked at him fondly, reached over and kissed him softly. "I know you're afraid of my finding out about things in your past that I won't like, but that Nico, whatever he was like, whatever he did, is only a very small part of this man. I already know a lot about the sweet and kind parts he tries to keep well hidden, but, don't worry, I won't give the game away."

"Dani, was that a sports metaphor?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico had arranged for a rental car to be waiting for them when they landed in Pittsburgh, and he drove them directly to the Four Seasons Hotel.

"Where is the party taking place?" Dani asked, picturing a nice restaurant and a cozy buffet.

"Right here in the hotel, in one of their smaller ballrooms. I always stay here when I'm in Pittsburgh, so I suggested to Liz that we have the party here."

"Smaller…ballroom? Uh, how many guests are you expecting for this party?"

"I'm not sure. Liz handled everything, but I think she was talking around 150 to 200."

Dani was not at all a mercenary individual. She had a nice house, which she enjoyed, and a decent car, but even with her now very comfortable salary at V3, she struggled a bit with her mortgage and her car payments, and simply accepted those debts as a given.

She looked around now at the opulence of the Four Seasons Hotel, considered what Nico had told her about his family, and then calculated the probable cost of entertaining 200 guests for the evening in one of their ballrooms, small or otherwise.

"You're footing the bill for this, aren't you?"

When Nico just looked at her, his usual silent self, she smiled, "Remember those 'hare-brained conclusions' I tend to jump to when you don't answer my questions?"

"OK, fine. Everyone contributed what they could afford, and I took care of…the rest."

"Mm hmm. Nico, sometimes you are such a lovely man."

XXXXXXXXXX

Their room was a very beautiful suite on one of the upper floors of the hotel. It had a full living room, and even a kitchen area. Dani couldn't imagine who'd want to be doing any cooking while staying in such a fabulous place, and she was a person who really loved to cook. The bedroom was large, with an enormous attached bathroom, and had a king-sized bed, which Dani noted from her spot on the living room couch.

"It's a beautiful room, Nico, but I notice there's only one bed. Where are you going to sleep?"

He looked up quickly, and for just a fraction of a second she could see the uncertainty in his eyes. But then she burst out laughing and he grinned.

"If I had the time, I'd show you exactly where I'm planning on sleeping. But as it is, I've got to change," he sighed, unzipping his garment bag, and taking it with him into the bedroom.

"And what's up with that, by the way?" She raised her voice slightly so that he could hear her in the other room. "You get to travel in comfy jeans, but I have to dress for the occasion before we even board the plane."

She could hear his chuckle as he unzipped his jeans.

"I suspect that your idea of 'getting ready' and mine are vastly different. I didn't think you'd have time for the full treatment, unless you think you could have done it in the next five minutes, because that's when this party starts. As for my travel clothing, I didn't want my suit to get all wrinkled on the plane."

Nico's little streak of vanity was one of his more endearing traits, Dani thought, as she pulled out her makeup case and made some last minute adjustments to her appearance.

He came out of the bedroom completely dressed in one of his dark suits, this time with a plum-colored shirt and coordinating tie. Dani tried not to think about how yummy he looked.

"And what about the wrinkles in my dress?" Dani frowned as she looked herself over in the full-length mirror.

"Believe me, Dani, when I say that that dress has absolutely no place at all to hide even the smallest wrinkle. And by the way, you look absolutely sensational."

Nico came up behind her as she looked into the mirror, and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her on her right temple. "And thanks for doing your hair that way," he said softly. "It looks just as sexy and beautiful as I remembered."

His arms squeezed her more tightly as they gazed at each other in the mirror. He finally dropped his head with a little laugh and removed his arms from around her.

"We'd better go now or we'll never get out of here at all."


	3. Chapter 3: Let's Party

Chapter 3: Let's Party

Dani felt just a little nervous as they rode down in the elevator. It was just Nico's family, she thought, thrilled that he wanted her to meet them. They sounded like perfectly ordinary people. But, really, how could they be? There was nothing remotely ordinary about Nico Careles.

"Oh, Mr. Careles, how nice to see you again. So happy we were able to accommodate your family's event." The concierge had come running over as soon as they stepped out of the elevator into the lobby. "Just down this hallway, last doorway on your left."

Nico took hold of Dani's hand and truthfully, she thought he looked a little nervous himself.

"How many women have you brought home to meet your family, Nico?"

"Well, I was about 18 the last time that happened, so you do the math."

A lovely woman in her mid-forties, with Nico's dark eyes and an open expression on her face, spotted them just as soon as they entered the ballroom. Dani could see that she was both puzzled and amazed when she realized that Nico was not alone. She approached and enfolded him in a quick hug.

"You _did_ make it, Nico. I'm so glad. Mom and Dad will be thrilled to see you."

She looked pleasantly, but inquiringly, at Dani.

"Dani, I'd like you to meet my sister, Elizabeth. Liz, this is Dani Santino."

Dani thought she saw Liz glance at her brother then, just a small, almost involuntary, flicker of the eyes, but it was over in an instant, and Dani wondered if she'd imagined it.

"Dani… you're Dani."

Dani took Liz's proffered hand and gave a little laugh. "Well, my mother still likes to call me Danielle, but somehow I've always preferred Dani."

"It's wonderful that you could join us, Dani. We don't get to meet too many of Nico's friends, so this is really a treat."

Nico breathed a silent sigh of relief. He hadn't been sure until they were on the plane that Dani would really be willing to accompany him to this party, so Liz had had no warning. But he thought she hadn't given him away.

He supposed Liz would have some questions for him later, and he'd have to think about how to answer them. Then he just laughed at himself for his stupidity. What the hell was he thinking? He hadn't brought a woman home with him in almost 30 years. _Everyone_ was going to be asking questions. Couldn't be helped.

Dani and Liz were chatting with each other in the way that women have of being able to make small talk with someone they'd just met. Well, he amended that thought, some women. Liz had always been friendly, and Dani was a past master at connecting with people. He should know. He tried to imagine, say, Gabrielle meeting his family, and shook his head as he struggled to arrange that picture in his head. Of his family, only Liz knew anything at all about Gabrielle and that only from a conversation many years ago when he'd had too much to drink and found himself a little out of control.

"So you're a therapist." he heard Liz say to Dani then, just as though she didn't already know. "Wow, that sounds like a fascinating way to spend your days. Any chance you could figure out how my brother's mind works and then let the rest of us know?" She smirked up at him.

"OK, Liz. I think we need to mingle. What time are Mom and Dad supposed to show up."

"Any time now. I was just hoping you'd get here first."

Dani started to relax as she noted that Nico was actually smiling. And he continued to smile as he introduced her to the rest of his family. She made a real effort to remember all the names of the in-laws, the nieces, and the nephews. She kind of lost a handle on things when extended family and friends and acquaintances of his parents started coming forward for an introduction. Apparently, Nico actually making an appearance was as rare as a snowball in hell, and her presence just added to his allure.

She was amused that the idea of Nico Careles as an International Man of Mystery wasn't just a New York phenomenon, but existed out here in the hinterlands as well.

By the time Nico's parents arrived, Dani was beginning to enjoy herself, if only at Nico's expense. She hadn't yet met his brother, Tony, because he'd been tasked with bringing his parents to the party. She admitted to some curiosity where Tony was concerned, after their conversation on the plane. Applause greeted the guests of honor, and Nico managed only a quick introduction to his parents before Liz asked everyone to be seated because dinner was being served.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your brother?"

He looked annoyed. "Can't wait, can you?"

She just laughed.

"No time now. Time to eat."

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani found herself at the "family table" with Nico's parents and siblings, and while she understood that she was Nico's "date," she was still a little uncomfortable at being included. As it turned out, she was seated between Nico and his brother, Tony, so she turned to introduce herself.

It was entirely unnecessary.

"Tony Careles." That smooth voice and manner probably got him into a lot of bedrooms.

Oh, I've got your number, she thought. You're Nico-light. Some of the looks and charm, and very little of the substance.

"Dani Santino." She offered her hand.

"You can't have come with my big brother." He made it a statement. Apparently such an event was impossible.

"But, yes. I did." She smiled at him, and she could see in his face that he was trying to figure out her relationship with Nico. He must have decided that she was fair game, because he really started pouring on the charm. She could feel Nico beside her, sitting rigidly in his seat, listening to every word as his brother continued to flirt with her, while she said very little in response. Thank God Nico had warned her, although she hadn't believed him at the time. What the hell was this guy thinking, she wondered, flirting with his brother's date – and right in front of him!

Dani was amused right up until the time that the flirting was accompanied by little pats on the arm. When he reached for her shoulder, she'd had enough.

She turned to Nico and said in a conversational tone, "You were right, Nico. Your brother Tony is very amusing. And, oh, you remember that _player_ we were talking about? I'd say it was the left fielder. Way out in left field."

She could see Nico smirking. He turned and gave her a wink.

After dinner, there were a few speeches; even Nico said a few words about his parents. When Nico's Dad rose to express his gratitude to their guests for coming, Dani was able to see where Nico got both his looks and his charisma. Dom Careles looked at his wife adoringly as he spoke about their life together. After only a few minutes, she hit him on his arm and told him he'd said enough and it was time for him to sit down! Dani couldn't help but grin, they were so adorable.

XXXXXXXXXX

As soon as dinner was over, Dani made a beeline for the restroom, trying to beat the crowd. She took a quick look in the mirror. OK, the hairdo was still holding up, maybe a touch-up of her lipstick. Her feet were getting a little tired, so she removed her shoes and sat down on one of the vanity stools in the outer area of the elegantly appointed Ladies Room.

And that's where Julia Careles found her a minute later, shoeless and with her eyes closed. The day was starting to catch up with her, and she was good at these two-minute cat-naps.

"Dani."

She jumped.

"Oh, I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to thank you for coming, and for putting a smile on Nico's face. "

"Oh, Mrs. Careles…"

"Julia, please."

"Julia, I'm so happy to be here. As for Nico smiling…" Dani couldn't help blushing at the knowing look on Julia's face.

"You know, I watched how you handled my youngest son. She shook her head, laughing. "I love all my kids, but Tony should know that any woman who can get Nico to look at her the way he looks at you isn't going to be interested in his shenanigans!"

_Shenanigans_? Dani loved this woman already.

"Well, Nico's tolerance for…uh…baloney is pretty low."

"Low? It's non-existent. Always was. He always went straight to the point, even as a kid."

"He hasn't changed. It's one of the things I lo…like best about him." Dani couldn't imagine how that had almost slipped out of her mouth.

"Uh huh." Julia smirked.

Nico might look like his father, but that smirk came straight from Mom.

XXXXXXXXXX

When she returned to the party, Dani found Nico talking to Liz, her husband, and their two daughters.

"Uncle Nico says you have a daughter about our age," one of them said. Laurie? Lauren? She really needed to pay more attention.

"Well Lindsay is 18, and I also have a son, Ray, who's 19."

"Are they in college?"

"Lindsay is just finishing her last year of high school. She'll be going to Columbia in the fall." She really tried, but she just couldn't keep that note of pride out of her voice every time she told people that Lindsay had gotten into Columbia.

"What about your son?"

"Ray Jay, that's what we always call him…he's actually living in Paris right now." She glanced up at Nico. How much should I say? His shrug clearly said 'Your call'.

Liz noticed the byplay and changed the subject quickly.

"I'm expecting to see you two tripping the light fantastic just as soon as the dancing starts." There was a huge, lovely anniversary cake, but Julia had nixed any sort of cake ceremony, much to the displeasure of the photographer.

And there he was now. "OK, let's get a nice group shot."

"For God sakes, Nico, smile, this isn't a funeral." Liz was exasperated when she glimpsed Nico's usual shuttered expression.

Dani smiled up at him as she elbowed him in the ribs. He looked down at her and laughed and the photographer got a couple of very nice shots.

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico walked around with Liz, mixing and mingling as much as his reserved nature would allow with people he hadn't seen in years. Dani was given a pass, in deference to her tired feet, but she watched him from across the room as he wove effortlessly in and out of various groups. Oh, he didn't often make the effort, but when Nico Careles decided to turn on the charm, there was no one who was immune. There was just nobody like him, certainly not his wannabe playboy brother, she thought, remembering their encounter at dinner.

And as if she'd conjured him up, there was Tony Careles, taking the empty chair next to her.

"Hi again, Dani. Don't want to make the rounds, huh? I've been a plus one at enough of these kinds of parties to know that there are limits to the Plus One Contract." His smile wouldn't have been quite so bright if he had understood the meaning of the squint that had just arranged itself on Dani's face.

"There's actually a Plus One Contract? Who knew?"

Tony looked a little confused. "Look, I know Nico is all about work. He isn't much for socializing, probably doesn't know many women."

Dani snorted. As if Nico Careles couldn't get any woman he wanted. But then she remembered: He'd wanted her, and he'd had to work hard to get her. She felt a little glow inside.

Tony had a sudden thought, as though he'd finally solved the mystery of his brother's date. "Is that how you know him? You work together?"

Dani had finally had it with his lack of perception, and by the time she turned to look him straight in the eye, her squint had developed into a full-fledged glare. "Yes, Tony, we did meet at work. But I am not his colleague, I am not his work buddy, and I am most definitely not his _plus one_!"

Nico looked up from across the room with some amusement as Dani glared at his brother. It looked like she was pulling a Full Santino on him. He was sure he'd hear all about it later.

Dani turned suddenly and looked back at him with such a look, affectionate and tender and sexy all at once, that he somehow couldn't catch his breath. He crossed the room, back to her side. He'd been away for too long.

XXXXXXXXXX

The DJ had started to play a selection of oldies, songs that would have meaning and conjure up memories for the guests of honor.

"Can you even dance?" Dani asked Nico. "I mean, do you know how?"

"Do you think that knowing how to dance would have been necessary in my line of work?"

"Which line of work would that be?"

"Any of my various lines of work."

She thought a minute. "Well, I know you have to be fast on your feet and sometimes you might have to face the music, so, yes, I would think it could be quite helpful."

He laughed.

"My mom used to play these old songs on the stereo when we were growing up, back in the vinyl era. She liked to sing along. We all got to know the words."

"You know, there was a rumor going around the Hawks organization that you were a pretty good singer. Got anything to say about that?" Her eyes were laughing.

Silence.

"You haven't forgotten about the 'hare-brained conclusions', have you?"

"Conclude away." Have to have a little talk with Coach Purnell when we get back from our trip, he thought.

"Do you want to take a chance and dance with me?" Nico asked, as The Righteous Brothers began to play over the sound system.

"Yeah, I've always loved this song." She followed him onto the dance floor.

There were a lot of discoveries made while Dani and Nico were dancing to "Unchained Melody."

"_Oh, my love, my darling, I've hungered for your touch a long, lonely time." _

Dani discovered that Nico was indeed a very good dancer, and wondered why she would ever have thought otherwise.

Nico discovered that he couldn't hold Dani in his arms while listening to a romantic ballad for two and a half minutes without understanding very forcibly that if he didn't get her alone in very short order, he was going to be guilty of some very inappropriate PDA.

And the rest of the guests, or at least those who happened to be watching as they danced together, and that included Tony Careles, discovered that Dani was very definitely _not_ Nico's plus one.


	4. Chapter 4: Alone at Last

**Warning: The end of this chapter should perhaps be rated "M" for somewhat more adult content.**

Chapter 4: Alone at Last.

As he waited to settle the bill, Nico looked over at Dani sitting collapsed on a chair against the wall and he could see that she was completely exhausted. It was well after midnight, and it had been a very long day. He'd noticed her fatigue earlier, and had told her several times as the evening wore on to go up to the room. But in her Dani-like way she'd explained to him, as if to a small child, how rude it would be for her to leave before the party was over. Especially since his parents, who were having the time of their lives, had been among the last to leave. So she'd found her second wind, pasted on a bright smile, and stayed with him until the bitter end.

As Nico handed his no-limit Amex card to the banquet manager, he noted that Dani was engaged in what appeared to be a very earnest conversation with Liz. They had taken to each other from the very first, as he had known they would. Liz was as exuberant and outgoing as he himself was, well he supposed he should face it, taciturn. He sighed inwardly. He was reserved by nature, and his life experience had only served to reinforce that trait. He had never really had a problem with keeping to himself.

Until Dani.

He smiled to himself. Sometimes it seemed that he really hadn't _had_ a life until he'd met Dani. That was absurd, of course; he knew it was. He'd had a normal childhood, an excellent education, a successful military career, and was now well-respected in his chosen field. He'd earned his reputation as the go-to guy in many organizations, both in and out of government. Nico Careles always found a way to get it done, no matter what_ it _was. (His mouth quirked a little as he remembered that his vaunted ability to "get it done" when nobody else could was what had left him vulnerable to the feds.)

And he had friends, friends that he valued. Perhaps it was true that none of those with whom he remained in contact knew him quite as well as Marshall had, but he definitely had friends. Well, maybe some of them were friendly acquaintances. And he was a man, after all. He could keep his own counsel. He didn't need to have girly chats with his buddies to talk about his problems. Right.

He smiled to himself as he remembered how after he'd known Dani for only a short time, he had found himself looking for ways to reinforce their connection. Somehow he had begun to see her as someone he could talk to, could confide in, could trust. And before long his protective instincts had kicked in. Quite apart from his job, or hers, it had begun to feel natural to think of her well-being as his responsibility, but he'd never asked himself why that was.

He'd let her see more of the real Nico than anyone had in years. And it had seemed so safe, so uncomplicated. She was a colleague as well as a therapist. She listened to people all the time. Her easy smile and her straightforward manner were like a siren call to forge the bonds of friendship.

Their conversations had just been…talk. He didn't see the light banter as flirting, because Nico didn't flirt. He didn't see the earnest discussions as intimacies, because Nico didn't do intimate, especially with a woman, except in the most physical way. But Dani was unlike anyone he'd ever met. There was nothing he hadn't liked about her. Her looks, her intelligent mind, her personality, her character. She was the most honest person he'd ever met – and, unfortunately for his peace of mind, ultimately the most lovable. By the time he'd figured that out, it had been way too late.

Nico gave his head a slight shake and returned from his musings as the bill was presented for his signature. He smiled at Dani to let her know he was ready to go.

Dani and Liz said their goodbyes. Another party was planned for the next day, this one very casual and for immediate family only. Liz had volunteered to host it, but his mother had nixed that idea. Her family, her house, and the rest of them knew better than to argue. He could understand why she wanted to prolong the party atmosphere; Nico couldn't remember the last time the entire family had been together.

After his mother had commanded them to make an appearance, Nico had taken Dani aside and explained that she wouldn't have to go.

"You don't want me there?"

"Of course I want you there, but all this family stuff…I know it can get to be a little too much."

Dani had smiled at him fondly and patted his cheek. "This family stuff – I've got that covered. Italian, remember?"

Now he heard her last words to Liz as they parted with smiles. "See you tomorrow."

XXXXXXXXXX

When they got back to the suite, Dani immediately kicked off her shoes and headed for the couch, where she stretched her tired legs and wiggled her toes.

Nico took off his suit coat and carefully placed it over the back of a chair, along with his necktie. He toed off his shoes, setting them under the chair, and sat on the other end of the couch, pulling Dani's feet into his lap.

"Does it work?" he wanted to know.

"What?"

"The toe wiggling? And the stretching? Can you really wiggle and stretch away the pain of walking around for hours on those stilts you call shoes?"

"Hey, mister! No making fun of my shoes!"

Nico just laughed. This was the ever-practical Dani's one foray into frivolity.

"They make me feel a little taller, particularly with _giants_ like you! Instead of like a kindergartner who made a wrong turn into the big kids' school."

Nico took her feet in his hands and began rubbing them, pushing his thumbs against the soft tissue of her instep and massaging her toes.

"I'm hardly that tall, Dani, especially considering that you work with a whole lot of athletes and some of them are very big guys."

"But I don't have to dance with them and…oh, my God, Nico, that feels so good." She began to moan and move around on the couch as Nico's hands soothed her sore feet.

His hands stilled momentarily, and he looked down at her fondly. "Thanks for coming tonight, Dani. It meant a lot to me."

"Don't stop, that feels like_ heaven_. Why did I never hear about this treatment for tired feet before?" She smiled up at him, and he resumed his foot massage.

"I had a great time tonight, Nico. It was such a privilege to meet your family. Well…most of them, anyway."

"Hmm. Yes. Did I see you reading Tony the riot act at one point? He looked like he didn't know what hit him. I've seen 7-foot athletes tremble after being on the receiving end of the full-on Santino glare, so I can understand his trepidation." His eyes were twinkling.

She frowned. "He was being ridiculous!"

"How so?"

"Well…he'd somehow got it into his head that I was your plus one."

"My what?!" His hands stilled again.

"Your plus one. You know, some random friend or acquaintance you ask to accompany you to an event so you don't have to show up alone."

"I _know_ what a plus one is, Dani. But…what gave him that idea about you? I mean, this was a family party, so why in hell would I need to bring someone with me? Particularly a woman?"

"Well," and here she couldn't help smirking a little, "Tony seemed to think that you wanted to show your family that you actually had a social life, even though he was convinced it couldn't possibly be true. He said you probably didn't know many women." And now her smirk had turned into a giggle.

Nico turned his head and looked at her directly. "He thought I couldn't get a date because I didn't know any women, so I brought someone I barely knew to an intimate family function?"

As she thought about the absurdity of it, her giggle turned into a full-throated belly laugh. She writhed around on the couch, laughing so hard that Nico was afraid she was going to fall right off.

Nico shook his head and smirked. "He may be my brother, but he's an idiot."

Dani shook with laughter.

Nico felt a sudden burst of happiness, and it was mirrored in his face as he looked down at her. The intimacy of their shared hilarity over his brother's lack of insight warmed him in a way that nothing else had for a long time. Dani noticed the new expression on his face, and her whole mien went from mirthful to sensual in ten seconds flat.

He returned to his ministrations on her sore feet, but now they were less therapeutic and more like a caress. As Dani felt the difference in his touch, her breathing became irregular. She looked up at him through lowered lashes, and she began to rub her toes along the insides of his thighs.

They stared at each other for a moment, and then he pulled her down the couch until she was sitting in his lap. He knew she was exhausted, hell, he was exhausted, but it had been five days since they'd been together like this and he couldn't stop the jolt of desire that had him hardening beneath her.

"Your hair is starting to tumble down," he said.

She reached up, "I need to take it down before I go to bed."

"Let me do it." He pushed her hands away and slowly began to remove the hairpins, massaging her scalp as he did so, until her hair fell down around her face. "You have such beautiful hair," he said softly.

"And you have magic hands, Nico Careles." She smiled and her eyes dropped to his lips, mere inches from her own now.

He kissed her then, just a soft whisper of a kiss, and she moaned in response and kissed him back.

"I know you're tired, Dani. I don't expect you want to do anything but go to sleep right now…"

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Dani breathed.

Nico chuckled softly. Dani almost never used crude language, and when she did, it was always an indication of some strong emotion.

"I'm not too tired for _this_. I tried so hard over the past five days _not_ to think about maybe never being like this with you again?" She knew she was giving herself away, but she just couldn't seem to care.

Her eyes caressed him with a potent mixture of affection and desire, and Nico was lost. He kissed her softly again, but Dani was having none of that. She stretched her body against his, moving her legs to straddle him. Her lips were pressed against his, as though she couldn't get close enough to him; she slipped her tongue into his mouth and wrapped it around his own.

Nico groaned, utterly and completely aroused. And then she began to move sensuously against him, hampered only by her constricting dress.

He reached down to the hem of her dress and pulled it up and over her head, and she moaned as her access to him increased and she could feel his hardness against her. She unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off him, while he ran his fingers lightly across the top of her breasts, along the edge of her strapless bra.

Their kiss increased in intensity as he unclasped and removed her bra, crushed her against him, and reveled in the feel of her breasts against the sprinkling of fine black hairs that covered his chest.

"God, Dani. I can't think when I get this close to you. I can hardly breathe." He looked at her as he took her breasts in his hands, feeling the weight of them, and thumbed her nipples.

"We need to move this." And then he was carrying her, her legs wrapped around him, into the bedroom. He pulled down the bed clothes and placed her softly on the bed.

"Nooo," she said, completely in the moment, as he left her briefly to remove the rest of his clothing.

"I really think you'll like me much better this way, Love". He lay down next to her on the bed.

He slid her panties down and off her body and pulled her to him. And then they were entwined together, their legs wrapped around each other, and although he was nearly a foot taller, it felt like they fit together perfectly.

He kissed her fiercely, and began to run his hands down her body. No woman had ever had this effect on him, had aroused him so quickly and completely. And the kissing. He'd never thought of kissing as anything more than a prelude to what came later, at least not since he'd been a teenager. But he could kiss Dani forever, their lips locked together in a circular dance, tongues entwined, teeth nipping gently.

He kissed and stroked his way down her body, and she responded to his every touch, searching with her hands and her mouth for pieces of him to caress in turn. Dani was the most effortlessly sexy woman he had ever known, and he marveled again that he was here with her now, like this.

"Oh, God, Nico. I don't think I can wait. This is all I've been thinking about for five goddamned days. I want you inside me now!" She pulled and grabbed at his shoulders, trying to tug his body into position.

Nico reached between Dani's legs and found that she was wet and more than ready for him. He struggled to find and open one of the condoms that he'd left on the nightstand. It was on in a flash, and he was slipping inside her body in one smooth stroke.

It had been five days, five agonizing days of tension and uncertainty and suppressed desire, and they were both overwhelmed by the feeling of being joined at last. He began to move inside her, but he knew that he wasn't going to last long tonight. Dani's moans only served to weaken his tenuous control, and when he felt her body stiffen, he gave in to his own needs, and they came together in a tangle of arms and legs.

It took a moment for his heart to stop racing and his breathing to become regular. Nico wanted nothing more than to stay exactly as he was forever, but he moved so that he wouldn't crush Dani's small frame with his much larger one.

He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him. "I would have liked to prolong that a little, but I guess I just wanted you too damned much." He was somewhat chagrined about the speed at which they had both climaxed.

"Do you hear me complaining?" Her face was alight with happiness. "And besides, I believe I'm the one who practically commanded you to get on with it!"

He smirked. "I don't think there was any 'practically' about it, Dani. I believe I heard a direct order from a superior officer."

She laughed and caressed his face gently. "I seem to recall that we have two whole weeks to work on improving our stamina and endurance."

He turned her hand to kiss her palm softly. "Sounds like a plan."


	5. Chapter 5: Dani Explains It All

Chapter 5: Dani Explains It All

Dani came out of the bathroom wearing the blue silk bathrobe that she'd left in there when they'd first checked into the room. It was a habit of hers when she stayed in a hotel. She liked to have the comfort of a familiar garment waiting for her to slide into. She smiled as she wrapped it around herself. Was it just five nights ago that she'd dropped that same robe behind her and sashayed up her front stairs in front of a disbelieving Nico? God! She'd never done anything that…that…blatant…in her life. But she'd meant, for once, to be very clear about what she wanted.

She looked at him now as she crawled back into the bed. She could hardly see his face in the semi-darkness of the bedroom, the only light in the suite filtering in from the street below through the open curtains in the living room.

His eyes were closed and he looked like he'd fallen asleep; she wasn't surprised, she knew he must have been exhausted. She reached out to stroke a finger lightly through his hair, and was suddenly engulfed in a wave of emotion so strong that her finger stilled and her eyes closed as she tried to accept the strength of her attachment to him. She'd never…it had never…she tried desperately to describe to herself exactly how the feelings that she had for him differed from what she'd felt for others before.

She sighed then. How could she have been so…so…STUPID? What if a kind fate hadn't brought them back together after all those months? She didn't think much of Connor McClane right now, but she was considering sending him a thank-you note for bringing her back into Nico's orbit. She could have saved herself a lot of pain if she'd just been as honest with herself as she asked her patients to be with themselves.

Physician, heal thyself? She'd maybe add a corollary: _Therapist, understand thyself. _

And now, on top of that, was the guilt. It was awful to think how she must have hurt him. He'd come home? Talked to Liz? She could hardly believe it. He was such a private person that it must have been doubly painful.

She sat up against the headboard and wrapped her arms around her knees, hugging herself and contemplating how close she had come to never having this moment.

"What's wrong, Dani?" Not asleep after all.

"Nothing, nothing…I was just thinking."

"Well that's always dangerous. Why don't you come down here and think?" He pulled her down the bed and into his arms.

"You know, that robe is now one of my favorite garments in the universe. But I like it much better off you than on," he teased, smiling in that sexy way of his, his lower lip curling up just slightly, crookedly, and she sighed into his embrace.

"What were you thinking about?"

She hesitated. Should she even bring this up right now? It was, after all, the middle of the night. But she couldn't seem to stop herself. Now that it was on her mind, she honestly didn't think she'd be able to sleep until she'd told him. She'd asked him to explain about Alex, and he had. She owed him an equal amount of honesty.

"Earlier, when I was talking to Liz …waiting for you to pay the bill," she smiled, "I asked her…" She hesitated.

"Asked her what, Dani?"

She cleared her throat and forged ahead. "I asked her if you'd ever mentioned me to her…you know….before tonight." She rushed ahead, running her words together, trying to get it out in a casual way, so he wouldn't think she'd been prying. "There was just something about how Liz said my name when you introduced us….and I thought she might have looked at you or …..You know, I'm a trained therapist, I'm supposed to notice all sorts of verbal cues and body language." She tried to make light of it, gave a little laugh.

She raised her head up so that she could look at him then, but _his_ body language was giving nothing away.

"And what did Liz say?" Nico asked, his eyes intent on her face.

Dani closed her eyes for just a second. This was the tricky part. She didn't want Nico to think that Liz had broken a confidence.

"I think I caught her by surprise." I ambushed her, she thought to herself. She wasn't prepared for that question, and I knew it. "She said that you might have mentioned my name as someone you worked with at the Hawks. She said it was when you came for an unexpected visit...shortly after Marshall Pittman died. But her face, when she said it..."

Nico sighed, remembering.

XXXXXX

_He'd made a quick visit to Pittsburgh a few weeks after Marshall's death, trying to get his bearings. He hadn't been able to get Dani to talk to him, or even look at him, for nearly a month, and while he was outwardly as impassive as ever, inside he was a mess. He had trouble sleeping, because he just couldn't seem to get Dani out of his head and, uncharacteristically, he didn't know what to do about it._

_He'd spent a lot of time with Liz that visit, and she'd noticed that he was a little "off." He'd told her it was Marshall's sudden death, and she'd accepted that at first. But of all Nico's family, she knew him the best. They'd been close as kids, and maybe that gave her some insight. When he left, she'd driven him back to the airport…although, as usual, he'd insisted on actually driving her car himself…and she'd sat in the passenger seat just watching him._

_He wasn't sure what there was in his expression that had given him away. He'd been thinking about Dani as he drove, and maybe something showed on his face. He wasn't used to having to be quite so careful about concealing his thoughts around family._

_Liz had sighed, finally. "Okay, Nico, what's going on? I know that you've literally just lost your best and oldest friend, but…" Her voice trailed off. "Oh, God, it's not Gabrielle, is it? Now that Marshall is gone, you're not thinking of getting involved with her again?" Liz was the only one in his family who had any idea that he'd had an emotional attachment to Marshall's wife, and she didn't know even half the truth._

"_No, not Gabrielle." He glanced at Liz, seeing that she was clearly relieved._

"_But this is about a woman, isn't it?" She made an intuitive connection. "I can see it in your face." _

_What the hell did my face show, he'd wondered, annoyed with himself for making himself vulnerable, even to his favorite sister._

"_Who is she, Nico?" _

_He'd sighed, too tired to dissemble. "Dani, her name is Dani. She's a therapist with a private practice. Also does some work for the Hawks organization."_

"_And you…you care for her?"_

_He'd glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, wondering if there was any way he could _not_ answer that question. He didn't make a habit of lying, and he certainly didn't want to lie to his sister._

"_I…there may be some emotional…attachment…of sorts." He was often a master of understatement, and he outdid himself here._

"_That's great," Liz had said._

"_No," he'd said, "It really isn't." _

_He sighed. He knew he was going to have to tell her at least part of the truth._

XXXXXX

Dani sat up and tucked her legs underneath her.

"You asked about it earlier, Nico. Had I forgotten what happened on my back porch the night Marshall Pittman's body was found? That's what you wanted to know."

"That was a rhetorical question, Dani. I knew you hadn't forgotten…"

"You're right. I couldn't possibly have forgotten about the event that led to weeks of inner turmoil, that sent me into therapy, and that led to my making one of the worst decisions of my life."

She couldn't quite see his eyes, but they looked shuttered.

"You're talking about Matt now? Worst decision…because of Noelle?"

"Nope, nothing to do with Noelle. Although I am grateful to her for eventually saving me from myself."

Nico was silent a moment, then sighed softly. "I think you need to explain that, Dani, because I saw you on the sidelines at the end of the Hawks playoff game last year. I saw Donnally kiss you, and your face lit up with a smile like the sun had just come out. " He turned his face away a little, remembering the pain of that moment.

"You saw us. And _that's _why you didn't say goodbye, _that's_ why you didn't bother to even let me know you were leaving. I didn't know." Oh, God! She'd hurt him a lot. No wonder…

"And it looked to me like you knew what…and who…you wanted. You don't need to rewrite history now for my sake. That was then; this is now. That's all I care about." Why the hell was she bringing this up now?

"I'm not rewriting history, Nico. That would be the same as lying, and I wouldn't do that. I've just finally found the courage to admit to you what I couldn't a year ago because I refused to face my feelings for you. I did everything _but _face them. I hid from them, I ignored them, I discounted them…because I didn't understand them.

"I caused myself a lot of pain, because when I finally figured it all out…you were gone and I couldn't find you. The only small consolation I had was that I didn't think that I'd actually hurt _you_. You'd left, so maybe you didn't care that much."

She looked him in the eye, searched his face. "But that isn't true, is it, Nico? I did hurt you. I mean, you must have had some reason for mentioning my name to Liz. You came here a few weeks after Marshall died; you talked about me. I _am _taking note of the timeline this time, and I know I'm right."

His silence was an admission.

She heaved a sigh. "I need to tell you. I really need to try to make you understand what was going on in my head. I don't want you to ever feel that I wish that things had turned out differently, that you were somehow second choice."

Nico could see that despite the late hour, she was intent on having this conversation. He got up, put on the boxers that were lying by the bed, and grabbed a t-shirt from his suitcase.

"OK, Dani. If you need to tell me something, then I need to listen. But let's not do this in here."

He went to the in-suite bar, opened a bottle of wine, and grabbed a couple of glasses. She followed him out to the living room, and they resumed their earlier places on the couch in the dimness of the living room, this time with a bottle of very indifferent chardonnay between them.

Where to begin, Dani wondered.

"I know you looked into my background, so you know I was pregnant when Ray and I got married."

Nico nodded. He wondered why she was starting this conversation with her marriage to Ray Santino, but he knew it must have a connection.

"I was only nineteen. I'd been working and taking classes part time. I'd always wanted to go to college, so I thought I'd just keep taking classes until I figured out how I could afford to go full-time. Ray was working on a degree in business admin.

"And then the shit hit the fan." She shook her head, remembering her shock.

Dani could see that Nico wanted to say something then, but was holding back.

"What, Nico? I can tell you want to ask me something."

Nico shook his head. He _really_ had to watch himself around Dani. She could read him like nobody else had ever been able to.

"It's none of my business." He looked a little embarrassed, but asked his question anyway. "I've just always wondered how one of the smartest women I know wound up with an accidental pregnancy. It wasn't 1955. You must have had access to birth control."

"Oh, we did…and we did use it. As soon as my mother realized we were having sex, she made sure I was on the pill."

"So, what happened?"

"Did you know, Nico, that if you take antibiotics, it reduces the efficacy of birth control pills? I know, it's probably not something you've ever thought about." She sighed. "I _should_ have known. After all, it was my body, but I just…didn't. I got pneumonia that winter. I was working, and going to classes, and trying to have a social life, and I just got run down and got sick. The antibiotics killed the nasty germs, but then…bing, bang, boom…I was pregnant.

"My parents were pretty unconventional, but under the circumstances, they were old-fashioned enough to want Ray and me to get married."

Nico nodded, understanding how it had happened.

"So there I was, _not_ going to college, starting a family instead. I decided right then and there that I was going to create the kind of family I had always wanted, the kind I definitely didn't have growing up."

"And what kind was that?"

How to explain? "The kind where we _didn't_ have to re-box and return all our Christmas presents on the day after Christmas one year because Mom had to pay off her bookie. The kind where Dad _didn't_ get punched out by the refreshment stand after the middle school play because a neighbor had just found out that Dad had been sleeping with his wife. The kind where I _didn't_ get called into the principal's office in high school and asked if I knew that my sister was taking bets on the Super Bowl." She sighed, remembering it all.

Nico nodded his understanding. "And you were the responsible one, the one who took care of their messes. Made sure the family unit worked." He wasn't even remotely surprised.

"Yeah, kinda. But I kept trying to fix us – to turn us into the kind of family I really wanted, but of course it never happened. So I guess you can understand that when I had my own family, I was pretty invested in making everything…perfect.

"When Ray Jay and Lindsay were both in school, I decided to go back to college and get my degree. I loved my kids, but I also wanted some kind of identity beyond "Mommy," some kind of _purpose_, for myself."

She glanced at Nico, held up her empty wine glass, and he refilled it.

"The kids got older, didn't need me as much, so I kept going to school. Ray got promoted a couple of times, and we were finally able to buy our 'dream house.' I finished my PhD and set up my practice. I had set out to create the picture-perfect family life, and I had succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. And it _was_ perfect.

"Until it wasn't.

"I had been so busy creating the story of the perfect life in my head that I'd neglected to notice two very important facts that didn't exactly fit into my version of The Dani Story.

"Fact number 1: My husband was a lying, cheating bastard who probably was unfaithful to me from the day we got married. Or possibly he waited until we got back from our fabulous 3-day honeymoon in Atlantic City. Never really been sure.

"Fact number 2: I wasn't in love with him, maybe never had been."

Nico looked surprised.

"Oh, I don't mean that I never loved him. I'm sure that I did at some point. But we'd been together from such an early age…I don't know. In the beginning, it was a girlish, teenage thing. He was the star football player and I was the head cheerleader. And then we just kept dating, like some kind of inertia had set in.

"If I hadn't gotten pregnant, would our love have matured, would I have ever married Ray? I'll never know for sure, but I don't think I would have. Knowing what I know now, well, he was probably cheating on me even _before_ we got married.

"If we hadn't been married, I'd like to think that it wouldn't have been too long before I figured that out. But we _were_ married and I was too busy to notice because I was totally focused on my quest for perfection." She shrugged. "Honestly, I should have known anyway; all I had to do was open my eyes.

"But here's how I know that I wasn't really in love with Ray, at least at the end. When I found out he was cheating, I never gave one, single thought to going to counseling. And that's pretty ironic, considering what I do for a living. I didn't waste a single ounce of energy trying to get him to stop his…er…activities. I never remotely considered any course of action except throwing him out. I even threw his belongings out the window, for God sakes! I just wanted him gone.

"Oh, yeah, I was pissed - angrier than I'd ever been in my life. I was certainly humiliated. Sad for what I knew the kids were going to have to go through. And I was disappointed because my perfect life was smashed to pieces.

"But what I _wasn't _was_ heartbroken_. I didn't lie there at night crying and wondering how he could have preferred some other woman over me. I lay there thinking how I'd like to cut off that dick he couldn't keep in his pants because it had made my life a crazy mess."

Nico shook his head, voicing what he'd thought so many times. "Complete, fucking idiot doesn't even begin to describe Ray Santino."

She smirked. "Others before you have said the same."

She held out her glass for more wine.

"If I pour you another glass, will you be sober enough to finish your story?"

"I'm going to get this off my chest tonight, no matter what!"

Her glass refilled, she took a sip and continued.

"You know, I didn't really understand at the time. I'd never even had another relationship, never mind another lover, so I thought that the fact that I felt mostly anger and disappointment was normal. It took me a hell of a long time to figure out that it wasn't."

She sighed. "As you can imagine, life was a little tough after the divorce. All kinds of problems – money, custody issues, stress from trying help my kids deal with the situation.

"And, goddammit, I missed the sex! I never could figure why Ray slept with all those other women, because we had a very active sex life. And I missed it. I was horny as hell!"

Nico could tell that all that wine was having an effect.

"I also wasn't having much fun. So one night, Jeanette talked me into going out for drinks. It was such a relief to get away from my problems for a few hours that I, uh, may have had a little too much to drink."

She hesitated. "You know this part. That's the night I met Matt."

"I guess it was a typical one-night stand, but how would I know? It wasn't something I ever thought I'd do, but I just figured, what the hell! If Matt hadn't been trying to quit smoking, who knows if we'd ever have seen each other again?

"But I hypnotized him to help him quit, and he was so impressed that he suggested my name when the Hawks were looking for someone to get through to TK. I don't think for a minute that anyone, including Matt – and probably you, too – thought that I could actually help TK, but then I did, and the rest, as they say, is history."

Her eyes were getting glassy now.

"I think maybe you've had enough wine." He took her glass away and began to rise from the couch. "I think I know the rest, anyway, so you can probably stop here."

"Not on your life. This is what I've been leading up to, so you just sit yourself back down there, mister. You do NOT know the rest. At least, not the REAL rest.

She gave herself a little shake and resumed her narrative. "Matt and I – well, of course there was an attraction, not to mention, for me, the novelty. I was a 37-year old woman who'd only slept with one man in her life. I think that's probably way outside the demographic.

"We saw each other a few times after that, but I had this rule about not dating a colleague, so after the Hawks hired me, we stopped dating. But he was there, every day, and I was attracted to him, and after a while, he made it pretty clear that he wanted me in his life. And he wanted an answer. Was I 'in' or not? That's what he asked me.

"And it seemed like he was just the person I needed, someone loving and uncomplicated, easy to be with. The night of the playoff game, the night TK was shot, the night you found Matt in my house, I'd finally decided that I was 'in'."

She looked at him then. "When you found us together, that was pretty embarrassing. And it seemed like you were, I don't know, disappointed in me. Maybe even a little pissed."

"Dani, I don't recall ever mentioning anything about that night to you, then or later."

"You didn't have to say anything. I could see it in your face."

"OK, I'll admit to being a little surprised. Maybe it did show on my face." It hadn't been his business, he remembered thinking, but he still hadn't liked it.

"Oh, it definitely did. And I think that that's the first time I realized that you and I were more than colleagues, that we were friends. Like with most friendships, you had an opinion about my personal life – and I cared what you thought."

She looked at him then, and he could tell that she was getting close to whatever it was she really wanted to say to him.

"So we dated, Matt and I, and I started to think that maybe we could have something more, that Matt was just what I needed in my life. He was exactly the kind of guy that I was used to: good-looking, outgoing, sexy, athletic. Kind of like Ray, but without the lying, cheating bastard part.

"Maybe our relationship had started out backwards, first the sex and then the getting-to-know-you part, but it worked. He was sweet to me, and I was really comfortable with him, and I knew that I loved him. After 6 months of dating, it seemed like he had just slipped into my life and filled the empty spot.

"And then Jeanette let it slip that he was planning to propose."

Nico was silent during this part of her story; maybe he didn't relish the details about her relationship with Matt. She needed to get to the point.

"Do you know why Matt and I broke up that time?"

Nico shook his head.

She gave a little laugh. "Of course not; why would you? Well, while I was looking forward to getting my perfect life back, with Matt in the role of 'Ray 2.0,' the new and improved version, I kinda forgot that Matt might have his own dreams. He wanted the perfect family, too. And while he liked my kids, he also wanted his own.

"We'd never talked about having kids together. I think he just assumed it would happen – that I'd be willing to start again with the babies. I mean, plenty of people have kids at my age, so it's not so strange. But I'd gotten an early start, and my kids were practically adults. When I saw Matt's reaction to Jeanette's pregnancy, it was like a light bulb went on in my head. I just suddenly knew that that's what he wanted, what he expected. And it turned out I was right.

"We probably should have talked about it way before that, because then we would have realized that we were at totally different stages in our lives. But we hadn't. And in the end, I just couldn't see myself doing it - going back to the diapers and the midnight feedings.

"So I tried to break up with him."

"You_ tried_ to break up with him?"

"Yeah." He could see her flush, even in the dim light.

"I see. Some backsliding there."

"Mm hmm. But after a while I knew we had to stop because it wasn't ever going to work out, and I'd rather have no relationship at all than one that was just a series of booty calls."

She closed her eyes. She was coming to the really tricky part.

"And then you came and told me about Marshall Pittman planting a bug in my office."

Nico shook his head. "Not my finest hour. Marshall was erratic, and I knew what he was capable of, but I never thought he'd go that far."

"I was so angry with you because I felt you hadn't protected my professional integrity. I know it didn't make any sense to blame _you_, but I felt like you'd let me down."

"You should have blamed me. I blamed myself."

She heaved a big sigh. "But then you found the copies of the tapes, and the night you brought them back to me, and told me I wasn't alone…" She shook her head a little. "God, I looked into your eyes and it seemed like I could really see _you_, you know, without your guard up. I felt such a pull toward you, I could hardly breathe, and then…did I try to kiss you?"

"You did. And I had such a strange reaction. I was shocked, but I was also thrilled." He shook his head, remembering.

"I had to leave and sort out what it all meant, because I had never let myself think about you in that way. As soon as I walked out the door, I wanted to turn around and go back, but I knew I shouldn't. After that, I couldn't seem to get that almost-kiss out of my head, and I knew that if I ever got another chance I wasn't going to walk away a second time."

They looked at each other then, and they both knew that she had come to the watershed event in their relationship. The night of the fishbowl. The night they recovered Marshall's body. The night they both discovered the magnitude of their attraction to each other.

The night she kissed him like the world was going to end the next day, and then tried to pretend it never happened.

"Oh, God, Nico. I was terrified of you. I loved _Matt_. I was pining for_ Matt_, but I couldn't have him because of the babies thing. _ He_ was the kind of guy I was supposed to be with, so how could I have such an incredible attraction to you? A _dangerous_ attraction is what I told my therapist.

"You had told me that I knew you, and maybe I did. Maybe I knew you well enough to know that I couldn't possibly have a relationship with someone like you." She laughed a little at how absurd her reaction to him _then_ seemed _now_. "You were just completely out of my comfort zone."

"I avoided you and panicked every time I saw you. You had to pretty much ambush me in my office to get me to help Juliette. You're the one who finally used that "four-word sentence" thing to provide some…closure…on that kiss. To get me off the hook and out of my house. But we never ever talked about what it meant.

"But in my head, and with my therapist, I agonized over it. Talked endlessly. Analyzed endlessly. And eventually decided that what I needed to do to end my mental confusion and inner turmoil was to get back together with Matt, even if it meant agreeing to have more kids. And I had to do it immediately, right then."

Nico's confusion showed on his face. "But what was the rush, Dani? I certainly wasn't pressuring you, and we had reached a certain détente in our relationship. We were working together again. And you might have found another Ray 2.0, one who didn't need you to be 'barefoot and pregnant'."

She could tell that he was thinking 'fucking idiot' about Matt, too, but didn't want to say it.

"Yeah, we were working together, but the attraction was still so strong that I had to keep a physical distance between us, always. You remember the night I ran into you at the facility after I'd been to a rock concert? We talked, I smiled, and I know I seemed in control. But I stayed at least 10 feet away from you, because it was nighttime, and we were alone, and I was feeling vulnerable.

"How ridiculous was it that I couldn't even sit next to you in the front seat of your car? You made a joke about my sitting in the back seat, but it was no joke. And the dreams. Hot, crazy sex dreams, all starring one Nico Careles."

He quirked an eyebrow now. "Sex dreams?"

"They scared me the most."

She sighed. "I was going crazy and I needed to do something right then, something that would end my insane attraction to you. I knew that if I committed myself to Matt, then I would be safe from you, and things could go back to normal. You and I could go back to being friends, and Matt and I could start our new life.

"So on the day of the playoff game, I went to Matt and told him I wanted to be with him and that I'd be willing to have more kids so that we could be together. And I was certain I was doing the right thing.

"And I also was happy, because I could stop being afraid."

"Are you saying that you were afraid of _me_, Dani?" He looked appalled.

"No, Nico. I'm saying that I didn't understand what was between us, and I was afraid of myself, terrified that I would give in to what seemed like a crazy attraction."

She bit her lip and nodded her had. "Almost done with my True Confessions."

"The very next day, Matt found out that Noelle was pregnant, and we mutually decided to break up. It made sense that he wanted to have a family and be a real father to his child. I respected that."

"Hmph."

Dani smiled.

"And I was sad. I thought it really sucked that it hadn't worked out with Matt. Besides my romantic feelings for him, I really liked Matt and I missed his company, and I missed the idea of getting that perfect family back.

"But I wasn't heartbroken. Again. I wasn't heartbroken."

Dani closed her eyes for a moment. This was the hard part, the part where she was going to make herself the most vulnerable, but he had to know it all. She opened her eyes and continued, sprinting to the finish line.

"I hibernated for a few days, licking my wounds, before I went back to the Hawks facility. And that's when I found out that you had gone. Vanished like a thief in the night. No goodbye, no 'here's where I'll be, give me a call'. Nada.

"When you didn't answer my first few calls and texts, I told myself that you were busy. I'd been avoiding you for weeks, so I should have been relieved that you'd gone, but I wasn't. Even when you terrified me the most, I always knew you were there, somewhere, if I ever really needed you. But now you weren't there and I couldn't believe how much I missed you. I was suddenly desperate to see you.

"As the weeks went by and I still didn't hear from you, or about you, I became more and more worried. I told you about the panic and the sleepless nights that first day at V3. It felt as though there was a weight pressing on my chest, and sometimes I felt like I couldn't breathe. Where the hell were you? I kept asking myself.

"And it suddenly began to dawn on me that I might never see you, might never find you, that maybe you were gone from my life forever.

"And _finally_…that's when I knew what it felt like to be heartbroken. And it was agonizing."

Dani's shoulders slumped, as she remembered.

"I hadn't really had much experience with love.

"I'd loved Ray in an adolescent way that never matured, not even after 17 years. And I had loved Matt. Why wouldn't I? Our relationship was of the safe and familiar variety, based on mutual liking and attraction, and it fit perfectly with my own expectations of what a relationship should be like.

"So it took me just a little longer to understand why I was so miserable. To understand that the intense attraction that I'd had to you for all that time, the absolute necessity of keeping a safe distance away lest I fling myself into your arms, the need to know that you were somewhere around even if I was trying to avoid you, the feeling of helplessness when you couldn't be found, the inability to stop thinking about you and worrying about you…"

She paused here, and gave him a rueful smile.

"Those feelings were all caused by that phenomenon known as 'falling in love.' It had never happened to me before, not like that.

"Not the particular variety that happens when you love someone not because it's expected, or convenient, or safe, or comfortable, or even because it makes you happy, but because you just can't seem to help yourself."

"And don't think I didn't appreciate the irony of it all. I was fucking choking on it."

She was done. If he didn't understand now, there was nothing more she could add.

Nico sat there a moment in silence, nodding his head. He picked up her hands and squeezed them gently.

"Thank you for telling me this, Dani. You can't imagine what it means to me." He paused for just an instant.

And then that soft open smile, the one he reserved solely for looking at Dani Santino, stole across his face before he spoke again.

"You do know that I'm crazy in love with you, and that I have been for quite a while now."

She smiled softly.

They regarded each other in silence, reached for each other at the same moment. The kiss was soft and quick, but the embrace that followed it was long and loving.

"It's 4 a.m., Dani. I think we should get to bed," he said softly against her ear.

She pulled back from his embrace, grabbed his hands tightly, and nodded. "Yeah, okay. I think I can sleep now."


	6. Chapter 6: Conversations

Chapter 6: Conversations

"Hey, Sleepyhead! Are you ever going to get out of that bed? I have coffee here and something very tasty in this little pink box."

Nico waved the coffee cup under her nose, and Dani was persuaded by the delicious aroma to open her eyes and face the day. Sunlight was streaming into the room through the open curtains in the living room.

"Mmm. Smells good. What time is it?" She grabbed the coffee and looked enquiringly at the pink box that was tied all around with a string. "Hey, is that a bakery box?" She was fully awake now. "What yummy things did you get for us?"

The box disappeared from sight. "The pink box will be sitting on the kitchen table whenever you feel like taking a peek inside. And it's ten o'clock, Dani."

"You are a mean, mean man, Nico Careles. First you tempt me with potential calorie-laden breakfast treats, and then you snatch them away." She started to give him a Dani-squint, but she couldn't keep it up. She giggled, took a sip of coffee, heaved herself out of bed, and struggled into the bathroom to start her day.

A few minutes later, they were both sitting at the table, while Dani tried to find something sharp to cut the strings on the box.

"You know, they do this on purpose. They tie it up so after you pay exorbitant amounts for the stuff, you can never actually eat it."

Nico laughed as he pulled out his car keys, and easily cut the string with the edge of the key.

"Oh, my God, Nico, chocolate croissants! How did you know? We haven't shared that many breakfasts."

"Well, I seem to remember that we had a breakfast meeting one morning at V3 and Paloma supplied the goodies. She mentioned to you that she'd gotten chocolate croissants because she knew you loved them."

"But…but, that was months ago. I remember that meeting. You weren't anywhere near me."

Nico gave a little sigh. "Busted."

"I guess it's OK to let you in on a little secret, Dani. I pretty much remember every time I saw you and every word you said since you started working at V3. Believe me, there were times when I would have loved to have been a little less aware of your presence, but it just wasn't happening, so I finally gave up even trying.

"You were a terrible distraction, Dani."

She smiled coyly. "I guess I could say the same. And not only were you a distraction, but you also sent me so many mixed signals that some days I didn't know whether I was coming or going."

They exchanged wry smiles as they ate the croissants. V3 represented a shared period in their lives that they had yet to fully discuss. They would talk about it someday, but not today.

"What time are we supposed to be at your Mom's house?"

"I believe she said one o'clock. I'd advise you not to eat more than one of those, because there's sure to be a lot of food. I'm sure my mother was cooking yesterday, and the rest of the family will also bring food."

"Oh, no! I should cook something. I can't go to a family potluck without bringing food. And look, we have this great kitchen I can use!" And just yesterday she was wondering who on earth would want to spend their time cooking while staying in this beautiful suite.

Nico laughed.

"Wow, you are Italian, aren't you? Don't worry about the food, Dani. No one expects you to bring anything to this party. Maybe you can cook for some future Careles family shindig." He smiled at her fondly.

Dani's face lit up. "I hope I can. I really do."

The squint was back.

"But we have to bring _something_ today. It doesn't have to be food. Flowers, maybe? No," she answered her own question, "Annie's probably bringing flowers. I mean, that's her thing."

Nico sat there and wondered how he had ever found this woman who was smart and sexy and funny, and could put his playboy brother in his place – and still worried about not showing up empty-handed at his family party. The warmth of Dani's personality just overflowed sometimes, and he was grateful for that. He could bask in that warmth.

"I've got it covered. When I went out this morning to get the pastry, I stopped by a specialty wine shop and got a case of different kinds of wine."

"Wow. You have been busy. How long have you been up? We didn't even get to sleep until after 4."

"Maybe you've figured out by now that I don't need that much sleep. I've been up for about an hour. I didn't want to wake you, so I just threw on some clothes so I could get my errands done early."

Dani teased him. "You know, Nico, I could get used to you going into 'fixer' mode and keeping my life running smoothly all the time."

"But remember, Dani, I don't do _people_. I need _you_ for that. That's why we've always been such a great team. We should really try to keep the team thing going."

She could see the smirk on his face, the one he inherited directly from his mother.

Dani finished her coffee and croissant and announced her intention to shower and dress. It shouldn't have taken her very long, but since Nico decided to…assist her…her stay in the large and beautiful shower provided by the Four Seasons Hotel was considerably prolonged.

Later, she watched him finish shaving while she put on her make-up.

"Shaving two days in a row, Nico? That must be some kind of record," she teased.

He wiped the residue of shaving cream off his face with a towel and smiled ruefully at her in the mirror.

"My mother hates stubble. If I show up with it, I'll never hear the end of it. Might as well avoid that conversation."

Dani laughed. Nico Careles was the most intimidating person she had ever known – but he was still just a little bit afraid of his mother!

XXXXXXXXXX

It took about a half hour to drive from downtown Pittsburgh to the comfortable middle-class neighborhood where Dominic and Julia Careles lived.

"Is this the house you grew up in, Nico?" Dani asked as they pulled up in front of a turn-of-the-century Victorian home with a small but well-maintained yard.

"Yup. We moved here when I was in grade school."

As they walked toward the front door, Dani hoped that she had dressed appropriately for this intimate family gathering. Nico had said to wear whatever she liked, so she'd put on a pair of jeans and a red sweater with a deep cowl neckline, along with large dangly earrings. Her footwear – always important to Dani – was a pair of boots that she found comfortable, but still gave her a little extra height. The day was fairly mild for January, so she'd worn only a soft leather jacket for warmth.

Nico was similarly dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved polo shirt, and a leather jacket.

Liz opened the door and smiled when she saw them. She hugged them both and took their jackets.

"What have you got in that enormous box, Nico?"

"Just some wine. Where do you want it?"

"Let me show you." Nico trailed off after Liz, looking over his shoulder at Dani.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine"

Dani peeked into the living room, and said hello to Liz's husband and kids who were watching football on TV.

She could see that the house was a typical Victorian. There were several rooms, but none of them were large. On the other side of the front doorway was the dining room, which presumably led to the kitchen, so Dani headed in that direction.

Nico and Liz

"It was great of you to bring all this wine." They had moved down a short hallway off the living room into a small office.

"Dad got this wine refrigerator a while ago, but there was no place to put it except in the office. Let's put the bottles that have to be chilled in here for now. I'll take the others into the dining room."

"Okay." Nico started to walk off to find Dani, glad to be relieved of his burden.

"Nico…"

"Yes?"

"Um, I think I told Dani something last night that I probably shouldn't have. It was right at the end of the party, and I was kind of tired. I don't know how, but she somehow figured out that I'd heard something about her from you before last night.

"God, Nico, I'm so sorry. I should have been more careful."

Nico wrapped his arms around his favorite sibling. "Don't worry about it, Liz. Dani has a way of reading people that's partly second-nature and partly her training as a therapist."

"Are you sure? Because I don't want you to think I don't value your confidences. I hope it didn't cause any trouble between you."

Nico shook his head and smiled at her.

"On the contrary, it led to one of the most gratifying personal conversations I've ever had. Dani…whatever you told her triggered something that she wanted to tell me, and that I really needed to hear."

"You look happy, Nico."

"I am happy."

"And everything that was standing between the two of you before…just disappeared?"

"Something like that."

"So, how long have you been together? I guess I'm a little surprised that you didn't at least tell me you were bringing her, especially since you'd told me about her."

"How long?" He raised his eyebrows, considering, and knew she was going to be confused by his answer. "Well, that depends on how you look at it. The correct answer could be one day, or six days, or six months, or a year."

"But…that doesn't make any sense."

"Dani and I have often not made sense. But we're working on it."

Dani and Julia

Dani figured she'd find Julia in the kitchen, and she was right. And the kitchen was also a place where Dani knew she would feel comfortable, so it was natural for her to gravitate there.

Julia turned her head when she heard Dani approach.

"Dani, hi. Are you any good in the kitchen? I could really use a hand here."

Dani had now discovered where Nico got his direct no-nonsense personality.

"As a matter of fact, I am. I wish I had known about this party ahead of time; I could have made something at home and brought it with me."

"Don't be silly. You're a guest. Of course, that doesn't mean I won't put you to work as soon as you get here."

They both smiled, and she set Dani up with a chopping board and a knife.

"Can you make the salad? I might as well give you the job I hate."

Dani laughed and opened the refrigerator to find the salad ingredients, and the cupboard to find a salad bowl.

They worked companionably for a while, not saying anything.

"So, I think I heard that you have two kids."

"Yes, I do. Lindsay is 18, just finishing high school, bound for Columbia next year."

"Columbia! That's great! She must be a smart girl."

"She is, but if you had seen her grades a couple of years ago, you would never have believed she could get in. She just kind of turned herself around in the last couple of years. I'm so proud of her."

"And you have a son, too?

"Mm hmm. Raymond Junior, we've always called him Ray Jay. He's 19. He's…well, he's living in Paris, and he must be supporting himself because he hasn't asked his father or me for any money, but I'm honestly not sure what he's actually doing…for a living, I mean. He left before he even finished high school, but at least he worked online and finally got his GED."

She sighed. "Honestly, when he left, I was so mad at him…but things are better between us now."

Julia could see her dismay. "I don't imagine you were particularly thrilled to see him move so far away."

"No."

Julia sighed her understanding. "Your kids are just at that age where you're learning that it's impossible to control their lives. I know that feeling well."

She paused in what she was doing and turned to face Dani.

"Let me ask you this. Does Ray Jay drink to excess, do drugs, or run with a criminal element?"

"God, no. Or at least he never did!"

"Well, I can tell you that after six kids, those were my baseline objections. Anything else, I figured I could live with – at least temporarily.

"Of course, I had what you might call a baptism of fire with my first-born. Nico was always respectful, but once he reached a certain age – and I'm gonna say about 17 – he didn't take too kindly to being told what to do!"

They both laughed.

"I can imagine," Dani said. She lowered her voice, "But I _will_ tell you that you may have more influence on him than you realize, because he's been clean-shaven now for two days in a row!"

Dani and Tony

Dani heard footsteps coming down back stairs that led directly into the kitchen, and saw that Tony had made an appearance. He stopped short when he saw Dani, and stared at the knife in her hand as though he was afraid she might turn it on him.

"Uh, hi, Dani. Good to see you again." He said a little warily.

"Hi,Tony. Did you come down to help in the kitchen?"

Julia laughed. "Nico is a fine cook, but Tony is not domesticated in any way."

"Uh, Dani, could I speak to you for a minute?"

"Of course. Fire away."

"No, I mean, uh, privately."

A little pucker appeared between Dani's eyes. "Why don't you just come over here and we'll talk while I'm chopping vegetables?"

Tony realized that that was going to be all the privacy he was going to get, so he moved to her other side, away from his mother.

He spoke quietly. "Um, Dani, I just wanted to apologize about last night."

Dani gave him a quizzical look.

"About, you know, the plus one thing."

Dani could see that Julia, who was standing not more than three feet away from her, was rolling her eyes and trying not to laugh.

"Oh, yeah, the plus one thing. Not important," she said and smiled brightly.

"Uh, well, good. It's just that, well…I knew that you were with Nico, of course, but I didn't realize that you were _with_ Nico… if you know what I mean."

"Oh, I know what you mean. What gave it away?"

"Uh, nothing, really. Well I did just run into Nico upstairs and he mentioned to me that he thinks he's found the perfect house for the two of you online."

Dani nearly choked. "Oh, well that's great," she managed to get out. "I'll have to take a look."

"Good, good. Well, I'll see you later."

Julia and Dani looked at each other and burst into laughter. Dani was laughing so hard she had to put down her knife.

"Nico always did have that dry sense of humor," Julia said.

Nico and Dom

Nico stood in an upstairs bedroom with his father, an old table between them.

"Thanks for helping me move this table, Nico. Your mother has been asking me to get it out of the office ever since I bought the wine refrigerator."

"Glad to help, Dad." And he was, but he also knew that he had two brothers who lived a lot closer, either of whom would have been happy to help their father move furniture. Nico's suspicion that his father had something else on his mind was confirmed when he heard Dom clear his throat.

"She's really a beautiful woman, Nico."

"That she is."

Dom Careles was not as direct as his wife, but neither was he as reserved as Nico. He'd never had this much trouble talking to his kids.

He looked away, and then back at his son.

He sighed. "You're way past the age where I get to say anything about your personal life, Nico, but I just wanted to ask…I've seen how you look at her…"

Nico looked enquiringly at his father and nodded for him to continue.

"Are you sure? You deserve only the best."

Nico smiled at his Dad, hoping to allay his concerns.

"She is the best, Dad. And I'm sure, very sure."

Dani and the Twins

Dani had finished the salad and moved on to assist Julia with a few other dishes when she noticed that the noise level in the house had suddenly increased by a wide margin.

"Looks like the twins have arrived. Plus their demon offspring." Julia laughed at Dani's expression. "David has two boys, Nate has one of each, and I love them all to pieces, but none of them can seem to sit still for more than a minute!"

One of the twins, Dani couldn't remember which one, although they actually looked nothing alike, stuck his head in the kitchen door to say hello to his mother. He noticed Dani at the counter.

"Hey, Dani. We never really got much of a chance to talk last night." He turned back through the open doorway. "Hey, Nate," this must clearly be David," Dani's in the kitchen."

Before long, they were both hugging her for all they were worth! These were clearly the outgoing siblings, not ones to stand on ceremony.

"We just wanted to say," Nate this time, "how amazed we were to see Nico show up with a woman."

Dani's jaw dropped a little, and their mother turned around and gave them a pointed look.

"OK, that didn't exactly come out right." David picked up the thread. Maybe he was the more tactful twin. "We just…Nico was always a role model for us growing up. He always looked out for us and we just want him to..to have something…someone…in his life."

Dani smiled, touched by their concern for their brother. "Nico is still looking out for everyone. I guess he just can't help it. But…I promise you that I'll look out for him, too."

More hugs! Dani just laughed.

Dani, Nico, Annie and Jed

Dani couldn't believe the amount and variety of food that had been laid out on the old-fashioned sideboard in the dining room. She wondered if there wasn't a touch of Italian somewhere in Nico's background!

She and Nico had filled their plates and sat down at a couple of folding chairs that had been set up in the living room. The house was so full of people, everyone just found a spot and made it their own. Dani was glad when Annie and her boyfriend sat down next to them, because she'd had hardly any time to get to know Nico's youngest sibling.

"I noticed the beautiful flower arrangements all around the house, Annie. Are you responsible for those?" Dani asked.

"I am." Annie looked pleased. "I couldn't exactly bring flowers from home, but I got them this morning from the wholesale flower mart and arranged them in some of Mom's old vases."

"You're so talented. When I put flowers in a vase, most of the time it looks like I did it with my eyes closed!"

They both laughed.

"It's so great that you have your own shop. I'll bet you put in some long hours."

"Sometimes – but I wouldn't want to do anything else.

"But that isn't anywhere near as impressive as being a therapist with your own practice."

Dani tried to downplay her professional accomplishments. "Believe me, there are plenty of candidates for therapy on Long Island," she joked.

Nico was having none of that. "Dani is a uniquely talented individual. Don't let her tell you any different."

Was that…_pride_…he was looking at her with? Dani had never felt more complimented.

"What do you do, Jed?" she asked. Annie's boyfriend was quiet, bespectacled, and already losing his hair, although he couldn't have been more than 35.

He and Annie looked at each other, smiling.

"I teach at Georgia Tech. In fact, I just got a promotion to Associate Professor." He cleared his throat, glanced at his girlfriend. "Maybe this is the right time, Annie."

Annie's eyes sparkled. "OK.

"Listen up, family." She raised her voice just enough to quiet the people in the living room and bring the others to peek in at the doorways.

Dani glanced at Julia and could see that she was holding her breath.

Annie reached into her pocket and pulled out a lovely diamond ring and put it on her left hand.

"OK, people. The question was popped last week. Answer was yes. Engagement complete. Date not yet set. You may congratulate!" She announced her engagement at a rat-a-tat pace, and Dani could understand why Nico had referred to this sister as a free spirit.

Dani could see Julia's eyes fill with tears, which she quickly brushed away. Everyone else rushed to congratulate the couple.

"Good timing," muttered Nico to Dani, with a smile.

"I know," said Dani. "I think we have officially been moved out of the center of attention."

Dani and Dom

While everyone was talking to Annie and Jed, Dani thought she'd give Julia a break and start clearing the debris from their meal. Dom had the same idea, and soon they had a rhythm going as they scraped, rinsed, and stacked in companionable silence.

Dom smiled at Dani, and she could see so much of Nico in his face, although he was considerably more light-hearted.

"You must be excited to see your youngest daughter engaged."

"Yep! Jed's a good boy, but I was starting to think I was going to have to get out my shotgun." His eyes were twinkling.

He glanced at her sideways. "I wouldn't mind a similar happy event for my oldest."

Dani blushed to her roots and continued scraping.

Dani, Liz, Lauren, and Amy 

Dani was just coming out of the bathroom when she ran into Nico's oldest nieces and their mother.

"Did you remember to bring the pictures of your kids today, Dani?" Lauren asked.

Dani's face lit up. No mother is immune from wanting to show off her kids. She pulled out Lindsay's yearbook photo, and listened to yet another confirmation that her daughter very much resembled her. It always made her feel good.

The only recent picture she had of Ray Jay was one that he'd posted on Facebook and she'd downloaded and printed. It showed him out for the evening with friends, his blond hair shorter and his face handsomer and more mature than she remembered.

The girls were taken with his looks. "So cute! Too bad he lives in Paris," Amy said, her sister nodding in agreement.

"Girls!" Liz said.

And they all laughed.

Nico and Julia

Nico found his mother being shooed out of the kitchen by Liz and the twins' wives, who were loading the dishwasher.

"Mom, Dani and I are going to have to take off pretty soon. We've got to get up early tomorrow to get back to New York."

Julia looked at her eldest son, the one she seldom saw, and the one that was, in many ways, the most like her. For once, she wasn't quite sure what to say to him.

But it was in her nature to be direct.

"Nico, this has been one of the happiest weekends of my life. My whole family was here, and so many good things happened, a lot of them completely unexpected."

The usually unsentimental Julia started to tear up – again.

"And I'm going to just say it. I've only known Dani for two days, but it's clear to me why you love her."

Nico opened his mouth to speak, but Julia beat him to it.

"Don't try to deny it, or even qualify it."

"I won't. I was going to agree with you."

"Good. So, Nico, this is the sage advice from your mother – don't screw it up!"

Nico, Dani, Julia, Dom

Nico's parents stood on their front steps saying goodbye to Nico and Dani. Hands were shaken and hugs were exchanged all around. At the last minute, Julia pulled Dani into a fierce embrace.

"I know you love him," she whispered. "I can see it every time you look at him. Please take care of him."

Dani was completely astonished, but not unhappily so.

She was Italian. She hugged back. "I will."

Julia and Dom

"Our oldest _and_ our youngest, _and_ our 50th anniversary. Who would have thought?"

"Who, indeed?"

Dani and Nico

They'd driven about half the distance back to the hotel, each lost in thei**r** own thoughts, when Dani heaved a big sigh.

"Are you tired, Dani? The entire Careles clan all at once can wear out the best of them."

"I'm a little tired, Nico, but I wouldn't have missed this weekend for anything. Your family is amazing."

He glanced across at her, a pleased smile on his face. "I'm pretty sure they liked you, too."

He had driven a couple of more miles before Dani remembered the really important thing that she had to ask him about.

"So, Nico, I understand that you and I are buying a house together? Hmmm?"

He turned to her and grinned, and they both burst out laughing.

"You should have seen the look on his face," Nico said.

"_You_ should have seen the look he kept giving the chef's knife I had in my hand while he was telling me about it," Dani contributed.

They laughed, off and on, the rest of the way back to the hotel.


	7. Chapter 7: Bonjour Paris

Chapter 7: Bonjour Paris

Dani was surprised when Nico told her that they were taking "his" plane back to JFK, and then continuing on the next leg of their vacation via commercial jet.

"I can't really keep the plane for that long, Dani. Besides, I don't intend for us to fly everywhere we go."

"So we really _are_ going to drive off into the sunset," Dani teased.

"Well, I don't know about sunsets, but there may be a four-wheel vehicle involved at some point."

But he wouldn't tell her any more than that. He wouldn't even tell her exactly where they were going next, but he did double-check to make sure that she had her passport.

At JFK, they proceeded to the Departures area, with Dani wheedling all the way. "You could at least give me a hint, couldn't you?"

"Think about a tower."

"Oh, the Tower of London, we're going to London. I've always wanted to visit England."

"Not England, Dani."

"Huh? How about another hint."

"Think wonderful pastry."

"Are we going to Vienna? I hear they have the most fabulous pastry shops all over Vienna."

"Austria is not on our itinerary. Think wine."

Dani's favorite wine was Riesling, so she immediately mentioned Germany.

By this time, Nico was beginning to wonder who was teasing whom.

Dani looked up at him, laughing. "Tower? Pastry? Wine? Nico, if you tell me we're going to Paris, I'm going to kiss you right in the middle of this airport. It's been more than a year since I've seen Ray Jay."

He smirked. "Can I delay my reward until later? I think I'd really enjoy it a lot more in private."

Dani could hardly contain her excitement. Not only would she get to see Ray Jay, but wasn't Paris supposed to be the most romantic city in the world?

XXXXXXXXXX

When Dani saw how spacious the seats were in first class, she wondered how she'd be ever be able to fly coach again.

"Wow! You really splurged on these tickets, Nico."

Nico smiled down at her. Often her infectious excitement over what he considered the simplest things – like first-class airplane tickets – chased away the ennui and cynicism that had sometimes plagued him in recent years. He knew that being with Dani was good for him in so many ways. She kept him grounded, and she kept him real.

As they buckled their seatbelts, Nico decided he'd better let Dani know about their other reason for visiting Paris.

"Dani, while we're in Paris, I also need to check up on Juliette."

"Of course. I expected that you would."

It was a 10-hour red-eye flight, so as soon as possible after dinner was served, they settled in to try to sleep. Nico knew that jet lag would be a problem no matter what, but he also knew it would be easier to deal with Juliette if he was able to get some sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

.

Despite managing to get a few hours of sleep on the plane, Nico was still feeling a little ragged around the edges by the time they reached Paris. He called Juliette while they were still in the taxi taking them from the airport into the city. She'd moved recently, actually purchased an apartment, and he didn't have her new address.

Juliette picked up on the first ring.

"Juliette.."

"Nico! Oh, thank God, you got my messages."

"Actually, I haven't checked my messages for a while. I'm calling to get your new address because I'm paying you a visit."

"You're coming to Paris?"

"I'm _in_ Paris, on my way to the hotel."

"Oh, God, your timing couldn't be better. I'll text you my address." She sighed. "I really need to talk to you, Nico, and it'll be so much easier to explain in person."

"OK. Hotel first, and then you're the next stop. I'll see you in about an hour."

"What was that all about?" Dani could see the concerned expression on his face.

"I'm not sure." He played back Juliette's messages on his phone, but there was nothing enlightening in them.

"Juliette just said that she needed to talk to me, and she sounded a little…agitated. I hope you don't mind, Dani. I promised to go by her place as soon as we check into the hotel. You don't have to come if you don't want to. I know you're probably tired."

Dani frowned and looked out the window of the taxi. Nico could see that she was biting her tongue.

"What, Dani? Are you angry that I want to visit Juliette today?"

"Of course not, Nico." She sighed. "I guess I'm just a little upset that you don't seem to want me with you. Is there a reason why you don't want me to interact with Juliette Pittman? I know the whole Pittman situation is about as awkward as it could possibly be."

Nico shook his head, considered what to say to her. They were just getting used to spending a lot of time together, and he needed to be clear on this point.

"For future reference, Dani, unless I feel that you would be in some danger, I'll _always_ want you with me. It doesn't matter if it's a visit to Juliette Pittman, or a trip to the 7-11 for bread and milk. You are always invited."

Dani nodded. "Good to know. Ditto for me probably 98% of the time. I'll let you know about the other 2% if it comes up."

She brightened. "Maybe our next stop after Juliette could be Ray Jay. I did try to call him, but I kept getting his voicemail. But I've got his address in my purse."

"Of course, let's plan on it."

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico checked them into the Hotel Georges V, and it was clear that French was one of his five languages. The Georges V was also a Four Seasons Hotel, but while Dani had thought that the hotel in Pittsburgh was opulent, she was blown away by the Georges V.

They again had a suite, but this one was filled with French provincial furniture and had hand-painted murals on the walls. A quick peek into the bathroom revealed an enormous bathtub with gold-plated hardware. There was a welcome basket of fruit, wine, chocolates, and other tidbits sitting on a beautiful glass-topped table in the entryway.

Dani looked around and gulped. She didn't think she'd be able to live up to this hotel. She didn't think her 10th grade French was going to do the trick, even with the maids. And she absolutely hated feeling intimidated.

Nico saw Dani's look, and could almost read her mind. "It's just a hotel, Dani. A very nice one, I'll admit, but just bricks and mortar. I like the Four Seasons chain, so I usually stay here when I'm in Paris, although I haven't been here for a while."

"How long will we be in Paris, Nico? Because if it's more than two nights, I really want to unpack my clothes. I'd rather not face this hotel with wrinkled clothing."

"I think it's safe to unpack. And I agree. I hate living out of a suitcase."

His mind drifted back to a time when traveling with a suitcase would not have been possible.

He shook his head, as if to rid himself of the memory. "Sometimes when I travel now, I have to remind myself to unpack my clothes, because I spent so much of my life living out of a duffle bag. Everything had to stay in it no matter what, because I never knew when I was going to have to leave at a moment's notice."

Dani's hand stilled as she was opening the dresser drawer; she was amazed that he had shared even that much of his unknown past with her. It was a small piece of information, very small, but still, it gave her some insight into that period in his life.

He looked at Dani with a slight frown. "Sorry, Dani. You didn't need to hear about that."

Her look was direct. "I'm always happy to hear anything you want to share about your past, Nico. Will there ever be anything…substantial…that you can tell me about those days? Even the barest outline?"

"Not much…but I'll think about it and let you know." He had a sudden thought. "Is that what you meant when you said that I was out of your comfort zone? Does it frighten you that there's a large chunk of my past that I can't tell you about?" He looked a little bleak.

Dani saw the uncertain look and thought it didn't belong on the face of the ever-confident Nico Careles. She wrapped her arms around him.

"You _are_ my comfort zone these days. And I don't care about your past, except those parts that you want to share with me. But I'm very much interested in your present and your future." She smiled.

"Can I claim my reward now? You know, the one from the departure lounge at JFK," he smirked.

XXXXXXXXXX

The hotel doorman flagged down a taxi and gave the driver Juliette's address. As they drove through the wide boulevards and the narrow back streets, Dani tried to absorb the reality of actually being in Paris, and of being in Paris with Nico. She looked at him beside her in the taxi and thought that she still had to pinch herself sometimes so that she could appreciate just how happy she was.

In the section of the city they were traveling through, the buildings butted right up to the sidewalk, but the stonework was beautiful, and she imagined that the properties were extremely valuable. She looked at the street name as they turned a corner, and it suddenly seemed familiar.

She opened her purse and took out the piece of paper onto which she had carefully copied Ray Jay's address, and compared it to their current location.

"What the hell!"

"What's the matter, Dani?"

"What exactly is Juliette's address, Nico?"

He looked down at Juliette's text. "Well, this is the right street. It's number 17, and her apartment is number 2. That's our second floor, their first floor, since they consider street level to be the 'ground floor'."

By now, Dani had gone into full-glare mode.

"What the hell is wrong, Dani?"

"Oh, I think you'll figure it out. Just give it a couple of minutes."

The taxi dropped them off, they rang Juliette's bell, and she buzzed them in. By the time they climbed the single flight of stairs, Juliette had the door open and was waiting for Nico in the doorway.

His longer legs reached her first.

"Juliette, it's great to see you."

"Oh, God, Nico, I can't tell you…" She stopped short as she suddenly noticed Dani behind Nico, half-hidden by his taller body.

"Dr. Santino! What are you…?"

It took her only an instant to figure it out before she muttered "Oh, shit!" under her breath.

"Hello, Juliette." Juliette Pittman had never been Dani's favorite person, but she had been determined to change that. Now she wasn't so sure.

"May we come in?"

"Of course! I'm so sorry. Please come in, both of you."

"This place is lovely, Juliette…" Dani got no further.

A door was flung open suddenly at the end of a hallway and a familiar figure stepped out.

"Mom?"

"Hello, Ray Jay, fancy meeting you here." She was in Full Santino mode by this time. "I'm pretty sure the last time I talked to you, you told me that you were seeing a French girl, not living with Juliette Pittman!"

XXXXXXXXXX

They were sitting in the lounge area where Juliette had hastily poured them all glasses of wine, as Ray Jay tried desperately to explain to his mother that while he was living with Juliette, he was not actually _living with Juliette_.

"We're flat-mates, Mom. I mean, of course Juliette actually owns this flat, but I pay her rent. I could _never_ afford to live in a place like this – in an area of the city like this – if I had to do it on my own. And she doesn't want to live alone, or rent to some stranger. So it works out for both of us."

He decided to let it go at that. It was the truth, and there was no point in explaining further.

"It's great to see you, Mom." He got up, pulled her up out of her chair, and gave her a big hug.

"So, Mom." He paused and looked her full in the face. "What about _your_ situation? I'm sure I haven't heard you mention that you were planning on taking a little trip with Nico Careles. Or in fact anything about Nico at all. Is there something you want to tell _me_?"

He smirked and waggled his fingers between Dani and Nico.

Dani knew when she had been outflanked. She looked to Nico for assistance, and saw his lips twitch. He shrugged.

Even Juliette was amused.

"Way to go, Nico. I always knew you had a thing for Dr. Santino."

Nico began to look uncomfortable; Dani noticed he was starting to rub the back of his neck, a sure sign of embarrassment. She decided to shift the conversation.

"Maybe you should just call me Dani, Juliette. Under the circumstances, um, _all the circumstances_," she looked around at them all, "I don't think we'd ever be able to have a professional relationship."

Juliette smiled and nodded.

"So what's all the mystery, Juliette?" Nico finally asked.

"Oh, God," Juliette sobered instantly. "For a second there, what with all this relationship crap, I almost forgot."

"Spit it out, Juliette. I can't help if I don't know what's going on."

Juliette glanced at Ray Jay. It was clear to Dani and Nico from that glance that he was well aware of whatever it was that had her so spooked.

Juliette took a breath. "I'm being stalked and…and…blackmailed."

"What the hell!"

Dani could see Nico's entire demeanor change, as he went into Nico-super-protective mode.

"Juliette, explain. And don't leave anything out."

Juliette looked both scared and embarrassed. She looked at Ray Jay again for support, and he nodded encouragingly. "If you want this to end, Juliette, you need to tell him everything."

"Okay, okay." She gave a little shake to her head.

"Well, about three months ago, I was feeling like shit because this guy I had been seeing for, like, six months dumped me. He went back to his old girlfriend. Hell, I didn't even know he _had_ an old girlfriend! So when Martine asked if I wanted to go to a party, I said OK."

She glanced sideways at Nico. "Honestly, Nico, I know you think I'm a party girl or something, but it'd been forever since I'd gone to…that kind of a party."

"What kind of party, Juliette?"

"Well, Martine said it was a 'mystery party', and it sounded like it would be fun. We met at a café on the corner near where we work, and then…and then…we were blindfolded and put into a car and taken to the party." Her voice trailed off as she considered how this actually sounded when she said it out loud.

"Blindfolded? You let someone blindfold you and put you into a car?" He shook his head in amazement. "Sometimes I don't understand you, Juliette. Are you so unconcerned for your own safety that you'd take such a risk?"

"I know, Nico, I know, and believe me, I haven't done anything that stupid since then. But really," she tried to defend herself, "Martine knew one of the guys and we were all laughing and giggling about the 'mystery' and I just never thought…"

Nico sighed. "So who is this Martine?"

"She works with me. Actually, she's my assistant," she clarified. "Her family used to have money but they lost it all or something. I went to school with her for a while in Switzerland. The guy she knew was also an old school friend of hers, but at a different school. I think she, uh, moved around a lot with the school thing." She shrugged. "Like me, she kept getting kicked out. So we kind of bonded. I guess maybe that's why I hired her."

"OK. We'll get back to Martine later. Tell me about the party."

Juliette licked her lips and continued.

"It took a long time to get there. I think it was out in the countryside somewhere; the city noise just disappeared at some point. At the end, we seemed to turn into a long, climbing drive and then we were out of the car, and they removed our blindfolds. We were in a huge house. Circular staircases on both sides of the front hallway, rooms off on both sides. And the people! The place was packed.

"Martine and I wandered around for a while. There were drinks…and…and drugs everywhere."

She stopped and looked at Nico imploringly. "But I swear to you, Nico, I didn't take any of the drugs. I know better than to do that. I don't want to be in that place again."

He sighed. "But you did drink." It was not a question.

"Well, yeah. It was a party. And then the school friend of Martine's, Andre I think his name was, introduced me to a friend of his. Etienne. Etienne Gerard."

"I…I kind of spent the rest of the evening with Etienne. And maybe more than the evening." She glanced at Nico to gauge his reaction.

Before Nico could say anything, Dani spoke up. "So you had a one-night stand, Juliette. It happens. I don't think it's anything to beat yourself up about." She could certainly sympathize.

Ray Jay looked at his mother with narrowed eyes and a puzzled frown. Dani ignored him.

Juliette continued. "Yeah, but I'd kind of promised myself that that wasn't going to happen to me anymore." She heaved a sigh. "Anyway, by the next morning, most everyone was gone, including Martine. Etienne drove me back here, blindfolded again until we reached the city, and that was that – or so I thought. I mean, Etienne was OK, but he was like a rebound guy. Nothing too objectionable, but nothing really special. I didn't plan on seeing him again.

"And then it started. The flowers, the notes, the 'accidental meetings.' Everywhere I went, he seemed to show up. He kept asking me out and I kept saying 'no', but he just wasn't getting it. I finally agreed to meet him for coffee at the same café where we'd left for the party. I figured I could just explain to him that I wasn't interested."

She started to rub her hands over her arms. "He just laughed. He said he knew that I was teasing him and that he'd 'wear me down.' Nico, it was just creepy!

"After that, he started to show up here. When that happened, I figured I could just tell him that Ray Jay was my boyfriend and that we'd gotten back together, but he already knew that wasn't true. Ray Jay wouldn't let him past the door when he came the first time, but the second time, Ray Jay was out with Emilie. I don't know how he got into the building, but he was suddenly at my door. I put the chain on and wouldn't let him in.

"He was so pissed, Nico. Started banging on the door. Told me to stop being a tease. I was petrified. Thank God my downstairs neighbor heard and he finally left. That was last week."

She got up and went to the hall table, took a large envelope out of a drawer. She glanced again at Ray Jay.

"Yes, Juliette. Show him the pictures."

"Oh, God, Nico, this is so embarrassing. This was left on my desk at work 3 days ago. No one seemed to know who brought it, but it wasn't delivered through our regular inter-office mail."

Nico opened the envelope and, as he expected, there were pictures of Juliette and a young man in very compromising positions.

"I assume this is Etienne?"

Juliette was so mortified at Nico seeing those pictures of her that she hid her face in her hands. "Mm hmm."

There was also a note inside that said: _These are to remind you of the passion we felt for each other on the best night of my life. I know you felt it, too. I need to be with you, Juliette. Please say that we can be together. Please don't make me post these pictures online._

"Juliette, I assume you've called the police about this. That's certainly a logical first step to getting rid of this asshole. I mean, he's not even trying to hide."

Juliette chewed on her lower lip, and Nico was certain that there was something she still hadn't told him.

"The police. Well, no, actually I haven't. One of the things that Etienne told me about himself at the party was that his father was very high up in the National Police. I didn't really know what that was."

Nico's face was impassive.

"I know what the National Police is, Juliette. How high up is his father's position?"

"Um…assistant to the director, maybe?"

"Assistant to the Director General?"

"Yeah, that was it."

Nico nodded. "OK, Juliette. This is what we're going to do. First, I'm going to speak with Martine. I imagine you know where she lives."

"Of course."

"Good. Call Martine and tell her that you need to drop by to see her tonight. I'm sure you can think of a good reason. And Juliette, can I assume you have security at work – decent security?"

"Well, I don't handle that, but I'm pretty sure we do."

"Okay, make your call, and you and I will have a little chat with Martine. Then I'll take you all out to dinner."

XXXXXXXXXX

They were sitting in one of Nico's favorite Parisian restaurants some 3 hours later, and Juliette was still sputtering about what she and Nico had learned from Martine.

"I can't believe it. She set me up – and she made money off it!"

It hadn't taken Nico very long to uncover the whole sordid tale.

XXXXXXXXXX

Etienne Gerard had seen Juliette Pittman at a fashion show that he had attended with one of his more affluent "friends with benefits," and had been instantly smitten. He tried to find an entrée into her world, but Juliette was extremely wealthy and owned her own business. He was the son of a civil servant, a very high ranking one, but a civil servant nonetheless. They did _not_ run in the same circles.

One night, his friend Andre brought an old school friend to a party he was hosting. He couldn't believe his ears when he heard that Martine worked for Juliette Pittman, in fact was her assistant. He thought he'd found his golden opportunity.

But there was a flaw in his plan. Juliette was seeing someone, and it was doubtful that she would be interested in meeting him.

When Juliette's boyfriend broke up with her, Martine saw an opportunity to get Etienne what he wanted and make a little money for herself at the same time. She'd never expected to have to hold down a job, but her family had lost practically everything in the market crash and she had been forced to support herself. But she needed a few extra euros to clothe herself in her accustomed style.

A small part of her was grateful to Juliette for giving her a job, but the greater part resented Juliette for having such colossal wealth. And while she had agreed to be Juliette's assistant, she chafed at having to follow her orders. She saw Juliette as a dilettante, playing dress-up with fashion, which was clearly the domain of the French. When Juliette had some success in the fashion world, Martine's resentment grew.

Since he himself was on the party circuit, it wasn't difficult for Etienne to find the right party to use to set up the 'chance' meeting with Juliette. The 'mystery party' aspect was just a little fillip they added on so that Juliette would find the whole idea more appealing. And just in case something went wrong, well, she wouldn't actually know where she'd been.

And Martine was getting a handsome 'finder's fee' from Etienne. So this was payback at its finest. If Juliette suffered in any way, well, _quel dommage_.

She repeated this all to Juliette and Nico in a bored tone, accompanied by a Gallic shrug. What was the big deal? All she'd done was provide a friend with an introduction to the girl of his dreams. Nico had to grab Juliette to keep her from smacking Martine.

However, Martine had also admitted to placing the envelope with the pictures on Juliette's desk. The note inside was clearly thinly-veiled blackmail. And there were security cameras in the building. Martine hadn't thought about cameras picking up her actions; she'd only worried about people. Nico persuaded Martine that she was in a bit more trouble than she had thought.

As a result, Martine had very _kindly_ agreed to sign a deposition about her part in the affair, if necessary. She had also very _unkindly_ been summarily fired by Juliette.

XXXXXXXXXX

The four of them were enjoying their somewhat delayed dinner, and Nico was explaining to Juliette what he intended to do next.

"I think I'll pay M. Gerard's father a visit tomorrow. Don't worry, Juliette. I believe this situation can be handled. For tonight, let's just have a nice dinner. We are in Paris, after all."

Just as they were all raising their glasses to toast the expected resolution of Juliette's dilemma, she received a text. She took a quick look down, and had a very heated reaction.

"Oh, no. Shit, fuck, damn!"

"What now, Juliette? More pictures?"

Juliette closed her eyes for a second and when she opened them, she looked apologetically at Nico and Dani.

"I am so, so sorry about this." She hesitated, and Dani spoke up.

"You're scaring us, Juliette. Whatever it is can't be that bad."

"I hope you'll think so when I tell you, Dr. Santino, I mean, Dani."

She sighed. "When I couldn't get in touch with you, Nico, even after I left you several messages, I panicked and called…my mother. I had to leave her a message, too. She called me back _after_ Nico called from the taxi, but _before_ he showed up with…you, Dani. I…I told Gabrielle not to worry because Nico was in Paris and he was coming over and I knew he'd be able to fix everything."

Nico stared at her. "You told Gabrielle that I was here in Paris?"

"Yes, Nico, I'm sorry. I just didn't think. I know the situation between you and my mother is still…complicated…but I _didn't _know about Dani when she called. If I had, I would never have said anything about you."

"So what did the text say, Juliette?"

Juliette closed her eyes briefly.

"She was in Monte Carlo – but she'll be here in Paris tomorrow afternoon. She also says – well you can read it for yourself."

Nico picked up Juliette's phone and read the end of the text message out loud.

"Tell N dnr w/me 9."

No one spoke for a minute or two, and then, as though they couldn't help themselves, three of them turned and looked at Dani.

Dani picked up her glass of very expensive pinot noir, took a small sip and announced, "I think that Gabrielle is going to be very, very disappointed."

But her bright smile was a little uncertain.


	8. Chapter 8: The Fixer

Chapter 8: The Fixer

After Juliette's announcement, they all tried to return to safer topics, but Gabrielle's impending visit had put a decided pall on the conversation. Ray Jay was perhaps the least affected, having heard only bits and pieces from Juliette about Nico's long-term relationship with her mother. She always said that she couldn't tell him the entire story, because she didn't know it herself.

It was complicated; she'd said that over and over.

From the way that Nico and his Mom were reacting, Nico turning a concerned eye on Dani and Dani trying to appear _un_concerned, Ray Jay had a feeling that 'complicated' wasn't the half of it.

Dani finished the bottle of pinot noir and asked for another, but Nico had other ideas.

"We spent last night on an airplane, Dani. I know you thought those first-class seats were very comfortable, but I think you need some real sleep."

"He's right, Mom. You look really beat. Maybe it's time to get a little beauty sleep." Ray Jay was still young enough to think that that line was funny when said to a woman fast approaching 40.

Dani turned a glassy-eyed stare on her son.

Juliette rolled her eyes. "Way to go, Butterscotch."

Oh, shit! He must have really fucked up. She only called him that anymore when he'd done - or said – something really lame. And yep, there it was, the squint was starting to make an appearance on his mother's face. It was the expression that had struck fear into his heart throughout his childhood.

Ray Jay knew when to beat a hasty retreat.

"Come on, Jules, I think Nico can handle it from here. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Mom."

After Juliette and Ray Jay left, Nico considered what to say to Dani. He finally opted for the simple and direct.

"It doesn't matter whether Gabrielle is in New York, Monte Carlo, or sitting at this table with us, Dani. She's of no importance to me."

"I know that, Nico. I know it's been over between you for a long time."

"Long before us, Dani. Even long before _you_." She knew what he meant. Nico had loved Dani for a long time before there'd ever been a_ them_.

"But _you_ are still important to _her_. I'm not stupid, Nico. I know she still wants you."

Nico sighed. He was too tired right now to have this conversation.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani seemed to drift off during the taxi ride back to the hotel, but she came to life once they were in their room. As soon as the door closed, she was all over him, grabbing at his clothes, trying to pull every garment off him at once.

Nico was laughing as he tried to assist her eager fingers, made clumsy by her semi-intoxication.

"Wait, Dani, wait. This shirt is a favorite and I'd like it to keep all its buttons."

"Can't, Nico. You need to catch up." She began to kiss him fiercely.

And pretty soon he did. Catch up.

They'd spent the night before on an airplane, and had had a difficult and emotional day. They needed to connect, she especially. It was he who was usually the possessive one, but this time, as they made love, it was she who marked her territory, and woe to anyone who thought they could interfere.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani woke up feeling not so well and thought that she might have had just a little too much wine at dinner. At least she assumed that was why her head was pounding and why she was somewhat less enthusiastic about Paris than she'd been the day before.

Or maybe it was the jet lag.

Whatever it was, it wasn't helped when she saw Nico was already dressed in a black suit instead of the casual wear he'd been sporting for the past several days.

"Wh…why are you dressed like that, Nico? Are you taking a meeting or something?" She tried to clear her head.

"In a manner of speaking. I'm going to deal with Etienne Gerard, and that means paying a visit to M. Gerard _pere_. I knew we'd probably have some mutual acquaintances, so I made a few phone calls after you went to sleep last night and I found a useful connection."

"So you were making phone calls in the middle of the night?"

"Time difference, Dani. It's six hours earlier in New York."

Dani sighed. Vacation mode had been suspended, at least temporarily, for Nico.

"How long do you think you'll be tied up today?" Dani reluctantly got out of bed.

"I think I can get this taken care of this morning – or at least by late afternoon. Don't worry, Dani, we'll be back to seeing the sights and drinking some great wine in no time." He grinned at her. "I know how you love your wines."

Dani moaned and gave him a weak smile.

Nico hugged her. "I'm sorry, Dani. I know this isn't how you wanted to spend your first full day in Paris. It certainly isn't how _I_ wanted to spend it. But I can't leave Juliette with this mess." He pulled back and looked at her. "You do understand that." It was almost a question.

Dani sighed. "Of course I do, Nico. You wouldn't be you if you didn't fix this for her." She grabbed his lapels and looked him in the eye. "I wouldn't love you if you didn't fix this for her." She smiled. "I probably wouldn't even _like_ you."

They smiled at each other, and he kissed her with enough enthusiasm to keep him on her mind for the rest of the day. Or so he hoped.

"Keep your cell on. I'll call you and let you know how it's going." And with that he was out the door.

The kiss had improved Dani's mood considerably, until she remembered why she'd had a little too much wine last night. Nico probably wouldn't be back until late afternoon, and by then, Gabrielle Pittman would have arrived.

XXXXXXXXXX

Since Nico would be tied up for most of the day, Dani decided it would be a good opportunity to spend some quality time with the son she hadn't seen in more than a year. What with Juliette's problem taking up most of yesterday's conversation, they hadn't really had much time to talk about Ray Jay's new life. She'd thought they might have some time to themselves while Nico and Juliette were interrogating Martine, but Ray Jay had had some errands that he just couldn't put off, so Dani had taken a much-needed nap.

She didn't know how Nico did it. She definitely required at least 5 hours of sleep a night to be even remotely coherent.

She called Ray Jay and they decided it would be easier and more comfortable to have their visit in the suite at the Georges V. He was excited because he wanted his mother to meet his girlfriend, Emilie, and he was going to arrange for her to join them later for lunch.

It was nearly noon when the front desk rang to let Dani know that she had a visitor. The suite that she and Nico occupied had a second layer of security in the form of a special elevator that needed a guest room key card to operate. The hotel staff sent Ray Jay up and Dani met him by the elevator.

Ray Jay did a double take when they entered the suite.

"What the fuck? Uh, sorry, Mom. But this hotel room rocks! You haven't won the lottery?" he looked enquiringly at his mother. She shook her head. "So that means that Nico has some serious bucks."

Dani just smiled and shrugged.

Dani couldn't help but notice that Ray Jay not only looked and acted more mature, but he had a veneer of sophistication that he'd certainly never had back in New York. It was his haircut, his clothing, how he carried himself. The Long Island schoolboy was no more. Ray Jay was a man – a young man, to be sure, but definitely grown up.

She remembered Julia Careles's advice and decided not to worry about whatever he might have to tell her about his life in Paris. She was pretty sure that drink, drugs, and delinquency were not going to be mentioned.

They sat down on one of the comfortable couches, and Dani was ready to begin her interrogation. Before she got a chance to ask him anything, though, Ray Jay had a few questions of his own.

"So, Mom, you and Nico. When did this happen?"

Impossible to explain to her son, even her grown son, the twists and turns of her love life. She didn't really want to, and he probably wouldn't want to hear it. She pondered how to phrase her answer to make it acceptable, and yet not lie.

"Well," she began, "you remember that things didn't work out with Matt."

"Yeah, that happened right after I left. He knocked up that other chick. Mom, that was seriously not cool when he was supposed to be into you. His numbers went way down with me when I heard about that."

"Yeah, well, don't be too hard on him because he actually did me a favor."

Ray Jay was surprised. "If you say so."

"I do, Ray Jay." She paused. "It took me a while, but I finally figured out that a life with Matt wasn't really what I wanted. I can't go into all the reasons, but let's just say that things worked out exactly the way they were supposed to."

"You mean you and Nico."

"Yes."

Ray Jay nodded and his next statement really underscored his new-found maturity.

"I can tell, Mom."

"Tell what, Ray Jay?"

"I can tell that you guys are in love. It's different than when you were with Matt. And with Dad – I don't ever remember you looking at him, or him looking at you, like that. So yeah, I think I get it."

He gave his mother a small smile, a little embarrassed by his foray into sentimentality.

Dani blushed. This was, after all, her son. But she nodded her agreement.

"We went to visit his family this past weekend. I showed your picture to Nico's nieces and they were very impressed!" She teased him.

"Mom, I am not single!"

"OK, duly noted."

"But wait…Nico has a family?"

"Did you think he sprang up fully grown wearing a black suit?"

"Very funny. He just always seemed so scary and remote. You don't associate families with people like that. Of course…" new maturity peeking through again, "that's his shtick, isn't it? That's how he's gonna handle this asshole that's been bothering Juliette?"

"Pretty much."

"Yeah, I have to admit that now that_ I'm_ not the one he's trying to intimidate, he seems like a really cool guy. Juliette thinks he's a combination of Superman and Avenging Angel. That's what I told Linds when I talked to her."

"Lindsay? When did you talk to Lindsay?"

"Well, we Skype a lot, and she called while you were napping yesterday. I told her that you were here, and now that I think of it…she didn't seem to know anything about Nico or about your coming here. She thought you were visiting Jeanette in Barcelona."

"Oh, God. I thought about calling Lindsay to explain, but I just haven't had a chance. And everything between Nico and me happened fast. Really fast. Did she seem upset?"

He considered. "She said she's going to call you today."

Dani sighed. "I'll bet she is."

XXXXXXXXXX

They decided to have lunch in the small café that occupied one side of the ground floor of the hotel. In good weather, small tables spilled out onto the sidewalk, but it was too chilly to eat outside this time of year. Emilie had agreed to meet them at 2 o'clock, and Dani had reserved a table.

When Emilie arrived, Dani thought that she looked like she should be on the cover of Vogue, which really wasn't so strange since it turned out that Emilie was a model.

She was quite tall, and of course very thin, with her sleek black hair cut into a chic bob. Dani wondered how much the haircut alone had cost. Not to mention everything else. Emilie had an air of being very expensive.

Her English was pretty good, which was fortunate, since Dani's French was mostly of the 'Ou est la toilette?' variety. When Emilie's English proved insufficient, Ray Jay translated. Dani was amazed at how fluent he was, although Emilie laughed at his accent, continually correcting him.

Dani was finally able to ask what Ray Jay was doing to support himself, and his answer surprised her.

"You know, Mom, when I first came here, I just kind of did it because everything in my life seemed to suck, except for Juliette. I guess I had a huge crush on her at first, but pretty soon we figured out that we worked much better as friends."

As he was talking, Dani noticed Emilie pouting when Ray Jay mentioned Juliette.

"At first, she gave me a job as her assistant - but I was more or less a glorified gofer. It wasn't exactly challenging." He laughed when his mother quirked a brow. "Yeah, I'm sure you knew that would happen.

"But here's the really cool thing. One day, one of the fashion photographers was trying to set up for a shoot. I watched while a bunch of different people tried to arrange the scene so it looked real, but also showed off the clothes. But he hated everything they were doing.

"When I think about it now, I can't believe I had the balls…er" he glanced at his Mom "…nerve, but I asked if I could give it a try. I don't know, it just seemed obvious to me how everything should fit together.

"And guess what? He loved it. Hired me on the spot as his new set-up guy. He doesn't pay me that much, my work hours aren't regular, and when he has a shoot I work a really long day or couple of days, but I love it! It's fun, and…I'm good at it.

"Juliette says I should think about going to film school. She says that set decorating is a real specialized skill. I've looked at NYU, and I've been thinking about applying for next year."

Dani's heart was racing. She didn't want to say the wrong thing, but the idea that her son might come back to New York…she'd have to tread lightly. And she'd noticed that the pout on pretty Emilie's face now looked like it was carved in granite.

"Does that interest you, Ray Jay? Working in film, I mean."

"I guess so, yah, it does."

"But Ray Zsay, I do not like the idea that you go to New York." Emilie smiled at him and spoke for the first time since the subject of his job had come up.

Dani wanted to throttle her. "It's up to you, of course, but you can always get an application and decide later if you want to send it in."

"Actually, I've filled out an application. I have until the end of the month to mail it in."

"Well, mailing it in doesn't cost you anything except the price of the postage." Dani smiled encouragingly.

"You're right, Mom. That makes sense."

She noticed that Emilie's pout now threatened to seriously disfigure her face.

Dani's phone rang then, interrupting their conversation.

"Nico, hi, how's it going with your project?"

"Not so well. I may be a little later than I'd hoped."

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico had had a long and frustrating day, but after a number of meetings over several hours, only one thing remained undone.

His first task had been to visit Juliette's boutique and check out her security system. That led him to the company that actually provided the security, which was at another location. He spoke to the tech guys and directed their search for the footage of Martine placing the incriminating envelope on Juliette's desk. Juliette remembered which day she received the envelope, but not the time, so some digging had to be done. Eventually they found what they were looking for, and the security people were instructed to keep the footage safe. Nico was comfortable with this part of the job. It was similar to what he did every day.

His second task was a bit trickier.

An FBI contact in New York had put Nico in touch with a well-placed individual in the Paris Prefecture of Police, which was not the same organization as the National Police. He cooled his heels for a couple of hours while his contact waded through delicate jurisdictional issues before finally announcing that M. Gerard, senior, of the National Police, had agreed to meet with Mr. Careles. But not at his office.

Gerard knew that his son would be the topic under discussion, and he'd insisted that Mr. Careles meet him at an obscure café, at a time much later in the afternoon than Nico had wanted.

When Gerard finally showed up, 30 minutes late and with a typical Gallic lack of apology, Nico had to struggle not to show his impatience.

"Mr. Careles, I believe." No hand was offered. "No need for you to massacre the French language. I am able to conduct this interview in English." Nico had had a long career in security, and had met quite a number of extremely self-important individuals, but he had rarely encountered such supreme arrogance.

"The language is not important to me, M. Gerard, only the outcome. I won't waste your time. Your son has been stalking and harassing a friend of mine, and it's going to stop."

"What do you know of my son?"

"Fortunately, very little, and I'd like to keep it that way. What I _do_ know is that he's a pissant little bugger who doesn't understand that when a lady says 'no', she means 'no'."

Gerard shrugged, seemingly uninterested, but his eyes were watchful.

"He also doesn't seem to understand," Nico continued, "that sending that same lady compromising pictures of the two of them, accompanied by a note in his own handwriting threatening to post the pictures online, can easily be construed as extortion. There are also several witnesses to both the stalking behavior and the threat, so any denial is pointless."

That seemed to get his attention. "What do you want?"

"I told you. I want your son to leave my friend alone. I also want any other pictures he might have of the young lady. And I want a written apology. My friend has been frightened and she should not have to live her life in fear."

"And if he doesn't comply?"

Nico paused a beat, or two, before he replied. "I got to you, M. Gerard, in only a couple of hours. It might take a little longer, but I can get to your superior.

"Or I could have my law enforcement connections here in France look into the ownership of that house where the party was held – check on who regularly attends the parties and what goes on there.

"And I can also pay a visit to your son if I need to. Perhaps he might respond to a different type of persuasion."

Nico was never particularly comfortable with this part of the job, not anymore, but in this case, he would apply himself to it if necessary.

"It's all up to you where we go from here. Seems a shame to let a little crush get so out of hand."

Gerard was silent. He had used the earlier part of the day to dig up information on Nico Careles, and as a result, he now decided that it would be in the best interest of the Gerards, _pere et fils,_ not to allow the situation to escalate over something so…so…trivial.

"And where should I send this…apology?" he spat it out.

"To the Georges V. They'll know how to reach me." He paused a beat and nodded.

"_Bon apres-midi_, M. Gerard."

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani and Ray Jay had picked up Juliette in a taxi and gone back to the flat. Dani refrained from saying so, but she was happy that Emilie had other plans. She'd seemed a little put out with Ray Jay anyway.

Juliette had no such compunction.

"How did you manage to get rid of Emilie?" she asked Dani in an undertone.

"Um…" Dani had got no further.

"Isn't she a first class beotch? I don't know how Ray Jay can stand her!"

Dani had locked eyes with Juliette and they both started giggling. She suddenly felt more in sync with Juliette Pittman than she ever had before.

Now they were sitting in the lounge drinking wine, Dani sparingly, and all three of them were looking at the clock, hoping fervently that Nico would arrive before Gabrielle.

When her doorbell rang, Juliette was almost afraid to look, but it was Nico arriving.

"Thank God!" She buzzed him in.

"Well?" She was impatient to know what had happened with Gerard.

Nico gave Dani a smile and an apologetic glance. He hadn't seen her all day, and he'd missed her. But it seemed like they were going to have to wait a little longer to have even a moment alone.

She smiled, shrugged, and nodded understandingly.

"I think we've managed to resolve this issue for you, Juliette. I had a little talk with young M. Gerard's daddy, and pointed out the error of his son's ways. I expect a package to be delivered to me sometime tonight at the Georges V. When it arrives," he shrugged, "that should be the end of it."

"But – you didn't actually talk to Etienne?" She was puzzled.

"No. I put the fear of God, or in this case his superiors, into papa. It's his job to put some fear into his son. He would know what will work better than I."

"So it's done?"

"Let's wait for that package. But if I had to guess, I'd say it's done."

Juliette was prevented from further questions by the sound of her doorbell ringing for a second time. She looked out and saw her mother in front of the building, and buzzed her in.

They sat still, as though posing for a tableau, and waited for the arrival of their visitor.

Within seconds, Gabrielle Pittman had entered the building, climbed the stairs, and crossed the threshold into their lives.


	9. Chapter 9: Old Flames Part I

Chapter 9: Old Flames Part 1

Gabrielle Pittman was used to walking into a room and immediately becoming the center of attention. She had always been a beautiful woman, with a lithe athletic body, and a bone structure that pretty much ensured that she would remain beautiful for many years to come. If she eventually had to have a little help maintaining those perfect features, well that's what cosmetic surgery was for.

It was too bad that she was not so beautiful on the inside.

The reaction of those around her to her beauty had made her selfish and self-centered. She used people, and then discarded them. Some people caught on quickly and moved out of her orbit. Mostly she didn't care, because she'd already tired of them.

She'd had a husband, whom she'd married for his money, even though she'd already captured his best friend's heart. The best friend had no money, and she'd found that that fact had made him less desirable. But somehow, even after she married the rich man, her vanity would not allow her to let go of his friend, because _she_ had become attached to _him_. She wanted it both ways. And for many, many years, her captive hadn't caught on.

And then he did.

Gabrielle had been sure that when she divorced Marshall Pittman, Nico Careles would be waiting for her in the wings. She'd counted on it. After all, she'd kept him on a string for more than 20 years, so why wouldn't he leap at the chance to finally have her? Why should anything change? But he didn't leap, and things had changed.

She hadn't been able to figure it out. Was it a slow buildup of guilt, growing year by year, because it was not in his nature to be deceitful? Was it just the eventual disintegration of her pull on him, the simple result of the drag of 20 plus years? Was it her finally coming clean and admitting to him that the daughter she had always led him to believe was his was actually her husband's child?

Or was it something more? Or perhaps someone else? But that idea she'd discarded immediately because she knew that no matter what, deep down he would always be in thrall to her. She knew she could overcome his principles, or whatever had caused him to pull away from her, and win him back.

She just needed the opportunity.

So when her daughter told her that he was in Paris, she had jumped at the chance to see him. And Paris was such a romantic city. It was also the city where, as it happened, they had had the final tryst in their on-again off-again multi-year affair.

But things did not go exactly as she planned.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Gabrielle walked into her daughter's flat, the first thing she noticed was that Juliette was not alone. She briefly glanced at the flat-mate, Ron Jon or whatever his name was, but then realized that _he_ was already here. It was only 6 o'clock and she hadn't expected to see him until 9, but he must have been as eager to see her as she was to see him. Hope stirred excitedly within her.

"Juliette, how lovely to see you," she greeted her daughter. The flat-mate got barely a glimmer of a smile before her entire attention turned to Nico Careles.

"Nico, darling, how wonderful you look!" And he did. She was eating him up with her eyes. Her daughter had barely gotten a peck on the cheek, but Nico was the recipient of a full-body embrace. She would have kissed him then, but he pulled away quickly. That didn't bother her. She knew he was not really affectionate by nature – at least not in public.

She smiled at him, and couldn't help the small purr that escaped her.

And then she turned around and looked a little further into the room. And stopped in her tracks.

What the hell was_ she_ doing here?

Oh, of course, she'd forgotten, Ron Jon was her son. But still, she and Nico were here at the same time. Gabrielle frowned just the slightest bit, even though she had schooled herself not to frown. Frown lines added years to the face.

"Dr. Santino, it appears you are visiting your son at the same time I'm visiting Juliette. What a coincidence."

"Yes, isn't it?"was her only reply.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani knew that she didn't like Gabrielle Pittman. She never had. Even when all she knew about her was that her greedy desire to bleed her husband dry in their divorce proceedings was causing a considerable amount of anxiety among the employees of Marshall Pittman's football team. She had been one of those employees.

And then she'd listened to Nico's tortured tale of a man of principle unable to end his long-term affair with his best friend's wife. Of the iron self-control that it had taken for him to succumb only those two times in the last 15 years of their, by then, mostly off-again liaison.

She'd been a good friend to him then, helping him gain clarity about this relationship. He'd had to come to his own conclusions, but she knew that her friendship had helped him understand, finally, that Gabrielle was not good for him, probably never had been, and that his love for her was more like a habit of the mind and an addiction of the body. He'd told her about that just recently.

He'd also told her how he'd gone "cold turkey" to overcome this particular addiction, sitting up in a chair all night watching Gabrielle sleep, instead of climbing into bed with her, as she had wanted.

Dani knew, too, that when Marshall Pittman died, at least a part of Nico's grief had probably been guilt that he'd not been able to cut off his relationship with his best friend's wife when she married. She wondered if he even understood that himself.

So, no, Dani Santino had never liked Gabrielle Pittman.

But then she herself had fallen deeply in love with Nico Careles. And now she despised her.

She despised the way she had used and abused Nico's tender feelings for nearly a quarter of a century. She despised how she had pretended that her daughter was his daughter, knowing all along that it wasn't so. She despised how she'd ignored that same daughter unless she could prove useful in advancing Gabrielle's desires, so that the daughter grew up feeling unloved, except by Nico himself. She despised that Gabrielle thought she could walk back into Nico's life now and reclaim him for herself.

No, Dani, thought. She didn't despise Gabrielle Pittman, she loathed her.

Nico watched the subtle byplay between the two women and wondered how he was going to make it through the evening. He saw no way that he could avoid spending at least some amount of time in Gabrielle's company. At the very least, he would have to take her to dinner, with Dani and Juliette, of course, and Ray Jay, if he was available.

But he was not looking forward to it.

XXXXXXXXXX

They had reassembled in Juliette's lounge, again with glasses of wine. Juliette was getting a little tired of playing hostess, but she knew it was her own stupidity that had been the catalyst for this turn of events. And she remembered then that her situation was still not quite resolved. She couldn't quite breathe easy, but maybe soon.

"So what was the big problem that you called me about, anyway, Juliette?" Her mother finally asked.

Her mouth asked the question, but her body language said she didn't really give a damn.

"Oh, just some trouble with a man," Juliette said. "Nico's taking care of it."

"Man troubles, Juliette? You are your mother's daughter."

"Oh, God, I hope not," Juliette muttered, so low that only Ray Jay heard her, and grinned.

"Speaking of Juliette's problem," Nico said then, "there is still today's business to be concluded. I've asked that a parcel be delivered to me at my hotel, so I think we should eat there tonight. The dining room there is superb."

"Oh, where are you staying, Nico?" Gabrielle inquired, although she was sure she knew the answer before she even asked the question.

"The Georges V."

"And you, Dr. Santino?"

Dani paused just a beat before she answered. "The same." She tried to smile but found it impossible.

Gabrielle was unable to keep the surprise off her face. She wouldn't have thought that Dani Santino could afford even the tiniest room at the Georges V.

But what she said was, "Well, that's very convenient, since I'm staying there, too. Perhaps we can share a taxi back to the hotel. I'd like to be able to change for dinner, Nico darling, if we're eating at the Georges."

And just like that, although she'd barely arrived, she was eager to quit her daughter's company and get on with the more exciting part of the evening.

Nico agreed. "Yes, we should probably head back now." Inwardly, he thought, anything to get out of this room.

"We'll meet you in the dining room of the Georges V, Juliette. I've made a reservation for 9 o'clock. Will you be able to make it, Ray Jay?"

"Thanks, Nico, I don't think I'd want to miss this dinner." Ray Jay knew that he probably shouldn't be amused, but there was a gleam in his mother's eyes that he'd certainly never seen there before, and he was practically salivating to see what would happen next.

"Oh," Gabrielle couldn't keep the dismay from her voice. "But I thought it was going to be just the two of us for dinner, Nico." She was well beyond the age where such an expression should ever appear on her face, but this statement was nevertheless accompanied by a little pout.

"We're all going to dinner, Gabrielle. Of course, if you'd rather not join us, I'm sure the Georges V could do you a tray in your room." He knew that probably wasn't going to happen, but he could at least give it a shot.

"Don't be silly."

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed slightly. This was not what she had anticipated, but she was sure that there would be plenty of other opportunities to see him alone. She'd have to find out just how long he was planning to remain in Paris.

XXXXXXXXXX

When they got to the Georges V, the manager stopped Gabrielle to discuss her earlier request for a room change. She'd asked for a suite, but there had been none available at the time.

"Mrs. Pittman, I just wanted to let you know that a suite will be available tomorrow, and if you'd like to change your room then, we could accommodate your request."

Gabrielle thought for a minute. If things went as planned, she might very well be ensconced in Nico's room by tomorrow night, which she was sure would be a suite.

"I'll let you know."

As she spoke to the manager, she thought she saw both Nico and Dr. Santino approach the special elevator that led to the penthouse suites, but she knew she must be mistaken. She was somewhat short-sighted but much too vain to wear glasses.

XXXXXXXXXX

By the time they reached their room, Nico thought that Dani was going to explode. She'd barely said anything while they were at Juliette's and she'd been completely silent during the taxi ride and since they'd reached the hotel. For the normally outgoing and talkative Dani Santino, this was unheard of.

He was a little worried but thought he should probably just leave it alone for the moment. He took off his suit, the only one he'd brought with him, and called hotel services to get it pressed before he had to wear it again that evening. He did still have a couple of clean dress shirts and ties; he always traveled with several sets, because it had been his experience that you just never knew.

Dani decided to take a shower and pick out something to wear for this dinner that she was dreading. She knew that if she looked her best, she'd be able to handle everything much more easily.

She decided to wear the green dress that Nico loved, and to fix her hair in the side knot that he found so sexy. It wouldn't hurt to remind him that he belonged to_ her_ now, not Gabrielle.

She heard the thoughts in her own head and winced. Since when had she become so jealous and possessive? That kind of behavior was for other people. But she knew that Gabrielle Pittman, with her beautiful face, willowy shape, sophisticated air, and large bank account would always make her feel a little…second-rate.

If she and Nico had been a little further into their relationship, been together a little longer, it might not have mattered. It often_ felt_ like they'd been together forever, but it had still been only days.

But then she remembered how much and how long he'd loved her before she'd ever acknowledged that she returned that love. And she smiled and shook her head at herself.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Dani and Nico emerged from the elevator, they found Gabrielle waiting for them in the lobby, paging lethargically through a fashion magazine. It wasn't long before Juliette and Ray Jay arrived, looking very French. Dani smiled as she saw how handsome her son looked in his sophisticated European clothing.

Well, maybe Juliette has been good for him in some ways, she thought. At least he doesn't think that a plaid shirt and a pair of worn jeans were the dress of choice for any occasion. The jeans were still there, but they were dress jeans, worn with an open collar shirt and a blazer jacket that she wondered how he could afford. He was young and could get away with such a variation on evening wear. Juliette was dressed in a very short, sleek dress that was probably from her own designer. She looked wonderful. They made a beautiful looking couple, but then Dani remembered that they weren't a couple. But their relationship had turned into a solid friendship; even she could see that.

Gabrielle was dressed in what was most certainly couture wear, Dani was sure, although she herself had no knowledge of haute couture. She knew she herself looked her best. Nico had certainly admired the finished product, so she just decided to shake off her doubts and try not to worry about it.

They'd barely been seated at their table when Nico was called away by the maître d'. A few minutes later he returned with a large manila envelope. He took a quick peek inside, and then nodded to Juliette, who smiled brightly and took a rather large sip of wine.

"To Nico," she raised her glass, "fixer extraordinaire. I'll never be able to thank you."

"Yes, you will. You'll thank me by being more careful and selective in the future."

"Such drama," Gabrielle interjected. "It must have been quite the story."

The other four looked at her, but no one offered to fill her in, and she didn't bother to ask.

XXXXXXXXXX

The dinner hadn't been as bad as Nico had feared, or as exciting as Ray Jay had hoped. The talk was general, but Gabrielle only contributed when she was the topic of conversation. All through it, Nico asked himself over and over again how he could have been so enthralled for so many years by such a shallow and uninteresting person.

Juliette invited them to visit her fashion boutique the following day. Ray Jay had worked there for months, so he thought he'd probably pass on the tour.

Gabrielle was patently uninterested, but as soon as she heard Nico accept Juliette's offer, she dredged up some enthusiasm and agreed to the outing. Dr. Santino would be going, too, of course, but she knew she'd be able to somehow get rid of her afterwards, and spend the rest of the day in a cozy _tete-a-tete_ with Nico.

Just as dessert was being served, Dani's phone buzzed.

"Oh, it's Lindsay," she said, and walked out to the lobby to take the call with a certain amount of trepidation.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Linds, hi, are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm doing okay, Mom, but aren't there a few things that you forgot to tell me." Dani winced. She definitely sounded pissed!

"Oh, Lindsay, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my change in plans, and about…um…Nico."

"Well, duh, Mom, when did this all happen? I mean, I don't think I missed like weeks and months of your life."

"No, you didn't. It's hard to explain, honey. Of course I've known Nico for almost three years, so it's not like he was a complete stranger."

"But, Mom, I thought he was just some guy you worked with, or, I don't know, maybe you considered him a friend. But you weren't dating…or did I miss something?"

"Nope, you didn't." She thought she'd give it a try. Maybe Lindsay would understand.

"We didn't date. And we _were_ friends…off and on. But then we…fell in love. Or maybe we always were in love. Oh, God, honey, it's so hard to explain. It'd be easier if I could tell you about it in person."

Lindsay paused. "I agree. That's why I'm coming over there."

"What?"

"I know you're in Paris now, but aren't you still planning to visit Jeanette in Barcelona at some point?"

"I'm pretty sure we are, although Nico has kind of made a game of not telling me where we're going next. Of course, this vacation doesn't seem quite so much like a game anymore." She sighed.

Lindsay heard the frustration in Dani's voice.

"What do you mean? Why not?"

"Because…Gabrielle Pittman showed up today."

"What? Isn't she that awful woman who drove you all crazy when you were at the Hawks? Wait, she's Juliette's Mom, so is she visiting Juliette or something?"

"Yeah, something like that. It's a little complicated. Grown-up soap opera stuff." She gave a little laugh.

There was a pause at the other end of the line. "You do know I'm not a child anymore, Mom, right?"

"I know, Linds. This is just another situation that's more easily explained in person."

"Another good reason for me to come. Look, I already cleared it with Dad and the school. I can get assignments ahead and do some make-up work when I get back. I'd really like to come to Paris and see Ray Jay, but I can't get away until next week. If you let me know when you're getting to Jeanette's, I'll buy a plane ticket." Thank God she had a passport from when Dad and his latest bimbo took her to the Caribbean.

"I've got enough money saved to pay for the ticket," she added.

Dani thought a minute. "OK, Linds, maybe this isn't such a bad idea. And don't worry about the ticket. You can use that emergency credit card I gave you to pay for it. I'll talk to Nico and Jeanette, and give you a call tomorrow."

"Good" She paused. "Thanks, Mom, I just really need to do this."

Dani was about to say good-bye when she suddenly thought of something very important.

"Uh, Lindsay, you haven't said anything about…any of this…to Grandma, have you?"

Lindsay could hear the tension in her mother's voice and laughed for the first time since their conversation had begun.

"No, Mom, I was a little pissed, but I'm not crazy. As far as I know, Gram thinks you've been with Jeanette in Barcelona this whole time."

Dani breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want her mother deciding to join the party.

XXXXXXXXXX

By the time she got back to the table, Juliette and Ray Jay were just leaving. From Nico's subtle sigh of relief, she knew he'd been waiting for her to return so he wouldn't be left alone with Gabrielle.

"So you know where the shop is, Nico," Juliette was saying. "Why don't you come by about noon and we can have lunch after the tour; there's a great place nearby. My treat this time," she smiled.

When they'd gone, Gabrielle insisted on buying drinks for the three of them in the lounge. Nico had had a long day, and wanted his bed, preferably with Dani in it, but Gabrielle was adamant. Nico pleaded with his eyes for Dani to stay just this little while longer.

They sat in a round booth, Nico wedged between the two women, and ordered drinks. As far as he was concerned, Gabrielle was sitting entirely too close, and Dani entirely too far away.

Nico was doing his best to avoid the little pats and touches that Gabrielle insisted on giving him. When Dani got up to go to the restroom halfway through her drink, he was left alone with Gabrielle and his discomfort increased. He knew she would take the opportunity to move in on him.

Nico was ordinarily a very direct person, but he had had difficulty figuring out a way to discourage Gabrielle's advances. She'd always been so single-minded where he was concerned.

When Dani came back to the table, she found Gabrielle draped across him like a feather boa – and he didn't seem to be doing much about it. Nico saw her eyes narrow and her face darken.

'You know, I'm kinda tired," she said. "Why don't you two finish up your drink – or two or three. I'm going to bed."

Dani left him alone with Gabrielle. If he couldn't deal with her himself, then he wasn't the man she thought he was.

Nico knew that Dani was angry, and she had every right to be. He hadn't made their relationship clear to Gabrielle, but there really hadn't been an opportunity. And he was hampered, as always, by his habit of not explaining himself, or his life, to others.

He was going to have to correct that before Gabrielle went too far.

But maybe he'd left it too late, since as soon as Dani left, Gabrielle scooted so close to him, she was practically in his lap. He could smell the gin from her martinis on her breath, and then he couldn't breathe at all because she was kissing him.

What the hell! He pulled away from her and it suddenly became very clear what he had to do next.

"What are you doing here, Gabrielle?"

"Here…at this table?"

"Yes, exactly. What are you doing at this table? What are you doing in this hotel? What are you doing in Paris? Why are you here?"

"Well, I'd have thought that was pretty obvious," she said coyly.

"It is obvious," he sighed. "Painfully so."

He went on. "Didn't you wonder why I was here? Here in Paris, I mean?"

She blinked. "Well, you came to help Juliette out of her predicament…whatever it was."

He sighed. Gabrielle saw only what she wanted to see. This was nothing new.

"You never wondered how I got here so fast? "

"I didn't think…"

No, he thought, you never do.

"I was already in Paris when I got Juliette's call. It was a fortunate coincidence that I happened to arrive just when she needed me."

Gabrielle said nothing.

"I was on vacation, Gabrielle. I was on vacation with Dani."

"You mean…you were accompanying her to Paris to visit her son." She made it a statement. "You're always so kind, Nico."

Nico shook his head. He'd always known that Gabrielle lived in her own separate reality, but this willful blindness of hers had become frustrating.

He sighed, realizing that only the direct approach was going to work with Gabrielle. He'd made some effort to be tactful, but it appeared that he was going to have to shift gears.

Nico moved as far away from Gabrielle as he could, considering that she'd crowded him to the very end of the seat, and he was in danger of falling off the end of the semi-circular banquette.

"Gabrielle, Dani and I are together. We are involved. I'm here because we wanted to spend some time together away from New York, and she wanted to see her son.

"I'm in love with Dani, Gabrielle. And I hope to God that after your display this evening, she's still in love with me."

Gabrielle didn't say a word; it was as if she had lost the power of speech.

Nico got up from the booth and left her there, staring after him. The expression on her face said that he was speaking a foreign language, one that she hadn't mastered.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Nico got back to the suite, the lights were off and Dani was already in bed. He undressed in the dark and slipped in beside her.

"Dani…Dani?" His voiced was soft, almost a sigh. She was asleep. "I'm sorry about tonight." He kissed the top of her head, his lips lingering on her silky hair.

"I love you."

He turned over with a sigh and tried his best to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani was not asleep. She'd heard him come into the room, undress, and get into bed. When he'd said her name in that soft voice that she loved, she'd almost turned over and told him that she was still awake.

But then he'd leaned over, and she'd smelled it. The perfume. _Her_ perfume. She knew, logically, that nothing had happened between Nico and Gabrielle. He'd returned to the room scarcely 15 minutes behind her.

But it hadn't mattered. She couldn't embrace him while he was reeking of "Eau de Temptress" or whatever the hell it was.

It had been a long day, but Dani had a hard time falling asleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

Several floors down, and on the other side of the hotel, Gabrielle Pittman was fuming.

He was in love with that…that…pygmy? What was he thinking? Answer: he wasn't thinking. She'd probably thrown herself at him and he hadn't been able to help himself.

She knew she should have tried to worm her way…that is…get back together with him sooner. Trouble was, she'd never known exactly where he was until Juliette had called.

No matter. Nico Careles had always been susceptible to her. She'd find a way.


	10. Chapter 10: Designs

Chapter 10: Designs

_Boutique Juliette_ on the _rue_ _Daguerre_ had been open for scarcely eight months, but it was doing well, and Juliette Pittman was thrilled.

She had been introduced to a young designer in New York during her brief stint as General Manager of the football team she'd inherited from her father. When it had become clear to Juliette that she was not going to be allowed to actually _run _the New York Hawks, she'd sold the team, and become an extremely wealthy woman.

But she'd gotten a taste of running a business, and found she liked it. She'd always loved fashion, and the fashion world, so when the opportunity came to invest in the promising new designer, and to relocate to Paris, she had jumped at the chance. This was a much better fit for her anyway; what did she really know about football?

She'd asked Ray Jay Santino to come along on the adventure on a whim. She was used to being able to entice men, young and old, and she hadn't had a lot of trouble in persuading him to join her in Paris.

She could have turned him into one of her vast collection of discarded lovers, but she found she liked his company and his conversation, and wanted to keep him around, and so they'd decided it was probably better to just be friends.

As it turned out, Ray Jay had gotten a lot out of his friendship with Juliette. He now had a patina of French sophistication that was certainly missing a year ago. He'd also learned to navigate among the very wealthy, which mainly consisted of keeping his eyes and ears open and his head down.

And he'd acquired a new girlfriend, Emilie, who was one of Juliette's models. Ray Jay had been a popular guy back in New York, and he'd had a revolving door of girlfriends at one point, and one very serious relationship.

But he'd been a boy then. This was his first relationship as a man.

But Juliette had also gotten something out of her bond with Ray Jay, something she'd never had before. The teenaged Juliette who'd bounced from one expensive school to another had never had a best friend, one she could rely on and trust absolutely. She had one now.

And for both of them, occasionally, there was the fleeting attack of homesickness. When that happened, they'd share a bowl of popcorn and watch bad American movies, with no European sophistication in sight.

So when Juliette woke up and remembered suddenly that she had no assistant, she knew she'd be able to count on her best friend to fill in for a little while until she could hire a permanent replacement for Martine.

"I don't know, Jules. Can't you just get along for a few days without one?" Ray Jay had whined just a little bit.

She'd folded her arms across her chest, and Ray Jay knew he was sunk. It was the Juliette version of the "Dani-squint."

"OK. But my first and most important order of business is going to be finding my replacement. And I'll need the days off when I work with Marco. Those are my conditions."

He could play hardball, too.

Juliette turned away so he wouldn't see her look of relief. Thank goodness!

"And you can help me show our Moms around, too" she said, smirking.

"Oh, yeah. That's gonna be a love-fest all around."

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani had had a hard time falling asleep the night before, so she awoke late to sunlight streaming into the room. She could hear the shower running, and all she could think was how relieved she was that Nico was washing off the scent of Gabrielle Pittman.

He came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and smiled as soon as he saw that she was up. She couldn't help returning the smile.

"Come here, woman," he teased, pulling her to him for a quick hug and kiss, and all her anxiety from the night before just melted away. She felt silly even thinking about it.

"I've got coffee and croissants coming, but if you want anything else, I'll add it to the order."

He dried himself and pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"Nope. After that dinner last night, I think coffee and croissants are about all I can handle for breakfast."

Room service arrived with their breakfast just as Dani was scooting into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

"Do you want the plain croissant," he poked his head in the bathroom doorway, "or the chocolate?" he finished with an evil grin. She tried her best to answer "chocolate" around a mouth full of toothpaste suds, but wasn't sure she'd succeeded.

They sat at the glass-topped dining table, and Dani was happy that they were able to breakfast together this morning, unlike the day before when Nico had had to leave so early. He poured them both some coffee, and placed a croissant – chocolate, of course – on a plate in front of her.

"Ya know, Nico," Dani teased "when you said we were coming to Paris, you promised me three things. I think I've had more than enough wine, and here's my delicious pastry, but what about that tower you mentioned?" Her eyes sparkled with laughter.

Nico smiled mysteriously. "All taken care of. Make sure you dress warmly today."

She smiled happily in anticipation. She was glad to have something to look forward to besides lunch with Gabrielle Pittman!

Nico was glad that she was pleased. This _was_ supposed to be a vacation, after all.

He thought that now might be a good time to tell her about the conversation he'd had with Gabrielle after she'd left the lounge the night before.

"Dani…" He picked up her hand, linking her fingers with his own. "I told Gabrielle about us. I told her that I was here with you on vacation, that we were together… and that I love you." He smiled at her and squeezed her hand between both of his.

"I'm only sorry that I didn't find a way to tell her the second she got here."

Dani nodded and wondered aloud, "So…what did she say, Nico?"

"Nothing. I left her there in the booth and didn't wait around to hear what she might have to say, because I didn't really care."

Dani's response was not what he expected.

She sighed and shook her head. "If you think that she's just gonna accept that and go away, I think you're kidding yourself."

He shrugged. "Maybe. But at least she knows. And I don't see what she can do about it."

Dani remained unconvinced.

But she had to shove aside any concerns about Gabrielle when she remembered that she also had something to share with Nico that just couldn't wait.

"Nico, we're headed to Barcelona next, right?"

He frowned teasingly. "Dani, you're taking all the fun out of this."

She sighed. "I know, Nico, and I'm sorry, but I really need to know when we're going to be in Barcelona."

"Well, the plan has always been flexible, but why the sudden need to fix a specific day for our arrival?"

"Because Lindsay is meeting us. In Barcelona."

Dani looked at Nico's astonished expression and started to laugh. "I don't think that we're going to be able to get away from family on this vacation, no matter what."

"When Lindsay called last night, she was kind of…upset…that I hadn't told her anything about…you, or anything about this trip. Ray Jay said something to her about us being here when they were Skyping the other day and she kind of freaked out because she thought I was in Barcelona with Jeanette.

She sighed. "I just hadn't wanted to try explaining it all to her on the phone." She gave a little laugh then. "And that's more or less what I ended up doing anyway.

"Now…well…she insists on coming here to talk to me in person. Hell, knowing Lindsay, she probably wants to interrogate _you_."

Her expression asked for understanding. "I felt guilty for leaving her in the dark, so I just couldn't tell her not to come, Nico. She can stay with Jeanette, and she's not a child any more…"

"Dani, take a breath. I don't mind that Lindsay's joining us in Barcelona. I was just surprised. "

He made some mental adjustments to his planned itinerary.

"We should be in Barcelona by Monday. You can tell her that."

Nico picked up her hand again and gave her that soft, open smile that he reserved for her alone.

"I know that any relationship with you includes your kids, Dani. I couldn't imagine it any other way."

Dani smiled, relieved. "Thank you for understanding. I do love you, Nico Careles."

Dani thought about the time difference. It was too early to call Lindsay in New York so she sent her a text message. She'd have to call Jeanette later and let her know when to expect them.

XXXXXXXXXX

They'd had so little time to themselves over the past few days that Dani and Nico decided to while away the morning in their suite, doing what came naturally. When they finally came up for air, a quick look at the clock told them that they had to hustle if they were going to get to Juliette's boutique by noon.

Nico expected that after his revelations about Dani to Gabrielle, she wouldn't show up for the grand tour.

Dani knew that he was wrong.

XXXXXXXXXX

When they entered the lobby, Dani and Nico found Gabrielle waiting for them exactly where she had been the night before, leafing through the exact same magazine.

Dani thought now, as she had then, that Gabrielle was posed there, waiting to be admired. Her trained observer's eye told her that Gabrielle's posture was studied and that her attention had fastened on them the minute they'd stepped out of the elevator.

Dani was beginning to wonder if Gabrielle ever did anything that was artless and natural.

When Gabrielle spoke, it was as if her conversation with Nico the night before had never happened.

"Nico, darling, would you get us a taxi? If we don't leave now we'll be late for the tour of Juliette's little shop."

Nico exchanged a look with Dani; his face showed chagrin that he had been proven wrong, while hers showed resignation that she had been proven right.

XXXXXXXXXX

It was clear from the outset that Gabrielle had not the slightest interest in Juliette's boutique. Dani didn't wonder why she had bothered to come; she knew that Gabrielle had only one object that day, and that was to spend as much time as possible in Nico Careles's company.

She_ did_ wonder how Gabrielle could be so uninterested in the accomplishments of her own daughter. Dani was a trained therapist, but she was also a mother, and she was unable to understand Gabrielle's seeming lack of maternal instincts when it came to Juliette. No doubt she was too close to the situation to be objective.

When they opened the door to _Boutique Juliette_ just after noon, Dani was immediately impressed.

In the front section of the shop was the showroom, and it was elegantly appointed. When clients came in to look at the merchandise, they were seated in comfort while various garments were modeled for them. Juliette had begun with the one designer that she had discovered in New York. She had found two others during the past year, and now all three created one-of-a-kind items for the shop.

Somehow, the stars had aligned just right, and Juliette's boutique had been an almost instant success.

Two separate areas flanked a hallway off the back of the showroom. On one side was "the closet," where finished garments were hung. Despite its name, this was actually a very large area containing dozens of garments and accessories. Sometimes adding the right accessory was all it took to secure a sale. There was a dressing room off the closet that the models used to change their clothes. There was a much smaller dressing room off the main showroom that clients could use to try on the clothes themselves.

On the other side of the back hallway, chaos reigned. Or at least that's how it seemed to Dani. The design and creation of the garments took place in that area. There were designers, cutters, tailors, dressmakers; there were piles of fabric and notions everywhere; and there were finished and half-finished garments on hangers and dressmakers' forms. Everyone was busy working and everyone seemed to know what they were doing.

At the very end of the hallway were the business offices. Two of the offices were for Juliette and her assistant. To Dani's surprise, Ray Jay was on the telephone in the assistant's office, and he waved as they went through. He mouthed to her: See you at lunch.

Gabrielle raised an eyebrow when she saw him. "I didn't know that Ron Jon actually worked for you, Juliette. I thought he was just your lodger or something."

Nico smirked and Dani looked like she'd like to say something, but Juliette beat her to it.

"It's Ray Jay, Mom. His name is Ray Jay, not Ron Jon." She shook her head at her mother's tactlessness. "And he is my flat-mate, but he's also my friend, and right now he's doing me a big favor."

"Oh," was all the reply the Gabrielle could muster up. What an uninteresting conversation, she thought. Why did I even say anything about that boy?

The third office was occupied by the woman that Juliette had luckily found to handle the financial aspects of her business. Juliette had plenty of money, but she was not interested in throwing it away. So far, she liked this business a whole lot better than the football team, but it was _still_ a business to her, not a hobby.

All told, Juliette employed more than 20 people. Dani was impressed with her accomplishments. Nico congratulated her on what she had created. Gabrielle simply looked bored.

Juliette had saved "the closet" until the end of the tour, thinking that Dani and Gabrielle might enjoy looking through all the wonderful clothes created by her design team, and that Nico would probably want to sneak out for a while to avoid that particular activity.

In this, she was only partially correct. Dani gasped when she saw all the beautiful clothes hanging from every available space. But when Juliette laughingly gave Nico a pass on wading through a whole lot of women's clothing, Gabrielle decided that she was tired, and followed Nico into the front of the shop.

Dani's eyes glittered and narrowed dangerously. She glared at Gabrielle's retreating form, but she was determined not to play this game. In fact, she would have felt ridiculous running after Gabrielle. Nico, she was sure, could take care of himself.

Juliette just shrugged her shoulders, rolled her eyes, and said, "Well, OK, guess she found something more interesting to do."

Dani tried to hide her smirk.

Juliette looked Dani up and down and suddenly had a wonderful idea.

"Dani, I have a dress here that would look fabulous on you. Let me find it." She knew the collection well, because within a few moments she had found what she was looking for.

"Here, why don't you try it on?"

Dani gasped when she saw it. It was emerald green silk, long-sleeved, and the top was diagonally pleated so that it draped across the bust. The skirt was short, but not too short. It was simple and elegant and Dani loved it on sight.

She persuaded herself that she'd just take a look because she knew that she could never make herself spend what she would consider an exorbitant sum on just one dress. But just to see how it looked…why not?

As soon as she put on the dress, Dani wondered how she was going to be able to resist it. It fit her perfectly, showing off her compact curves and her small waist and making her legs look long, despite her small stature. She'd never had a dress that looked this good on her.

Juliette gave her a pair of shoes to try it on with, and added some simple jewelry at the neckline.

"Dani, you look great in that dress. I knew I was right."

Ray Jay knocked on the door and stuck his head in at just that moment.

"Whoa! My Mom is a foxy lady!"

It was silly, but much better than his "beauty sleep" comment from a couple of nights ago, so Juliette smiled and gave him a 'thumbs up.'

Dani grinned at him. "Now you know where you get those good looks, kiddo!"

She suddenly remembered her phone conversation with his sister. "Hey, Ray Jay, I never got the chance to tell you about Lindsay's phone call last night. She was a little upset, so…well…I told her it would be OK for her to come here for a few days."

"Lindsay's coming to Paris?" He sounded excited.

"Oh, no, hon, I'm sorry, that didn't come out right. She can't get away until next week, so she's meeting up with Nico and me in Barcelona at Jeanette's house." She lowered her voice. "Between you and me, I think she wants to give him the third degree."

He considered. "Well, if anyone could intimidate scary Nico, it just might be my little sister."

The both laughed as Ray Jay closed the door.

While they were talking, Juliette had been considering.

"Dani, I'd like to give you that dress."

"What? No way!" She shook her head. "I appreciate the thought, Juliette, but I can't possibly accept this from you."

"Please let me do this. Look, I know you think I'm a spoiled brat…let's face it, I _am_ a spoiled brat. But I owe you, and I want you to have the dress." She was very determined.

Dani was puzzled. "Juliette, you don't owe me anything. Why would you say that?"

Juliette took a deep breath. "Well, let's see." She started to tick off the reasons on her fingers.

"You really helped me back in New York after my father…killed himself, even though I wasn't your patient, couldn't be your patient."

Dani gave her a small sympathetic smile. She remembered what a difficult time Juliette had had after Marshall Pittman died.

Juliette went on, ticking off other fingers. "And then how do I repay you? You come here with Nico on a vacation, and he spends all that time dealing with my stupid problem, that I created for myself, instead of doing things with you.

"And speaking of Nico." Juliette smiled and Dani could see how attached she was to him. "I've never seen him as happy as he is now, with you. And that makes _me_ happy. I hated that he always seemed so alone.

"Oh yeah, and let's not forget my mother." She paused a minute, sighed, looked away and then back at Dani.

Dani could see that Juliette had something on her mind, and she didn't have to wait long to find out what it was.

"You know, for a long time I wondered if there was…something…between my mother and…and….Nico. I mean, he was always around, all the time I was growing up, and I knew that he was close to both of my parents, but as I got older, I could see that the relationships were separate ones. One for Marshall; another for Gabrielle. At one point, I was kind of consumed with finding out the answer to that question.

She looked at Dani again and gave a little laugh.

"I finally figured out that it just fucking didn't matter. My parents had the most fucked up marriage I ever saw, and that's saying something considering the people I ran around with at school. Marshall – I loved him, but he was crazy as a loon. And, well, it doesn't take a degree in psychology to figure out that Gabrielle is neurotically self-centered." She grinned at Dani. "Not that there's anything wrong with a degree in psychology.

"But the thing is, the one person I could always count on growing up was not either one of my parents, it was Nico. So I finally decided that anything other than how he treated _me_ was just none of my business. And he's never been anything but good to me – just look how he helped me this week - and he deserves my loyalty, no matter what.

"And lately, well, I've been pretty sure Nico was avoiding my mother. He never said it directly, but it seemed like he'd been ducking her for months." She sighed. "And I was so upset about my own problem that I just wasn't thinking, and I told her he was here…and now she's practically stalking him!"

She gave Dani a rueful smile. "I guess after the past couple of days I don't have to wonder _why _he was avoiding her."

She paused then and looked a little sheepish. "And here's my final sin." She wiggled her pinky finger. "It's about…Ray Jay." She rushed ahead, plainly embarrassed. "I know it was selfish of me to bring him to Paris with me, but honestly, Dani, despite all the crazy things I've done in my life, I was a little scared to move here alone."

She paused, thinking about it. "I don't know how I would have survived without him in the beginning. The world I live in can be so…so…superficial. But Ray Jay is never that, he's just himself, and he's been a really good friend to me. So I hope you've forgiven me for stealing him away."

She gave Dani a genuine smile. "You've been really great since you've been here. The only time you got even a little mad is when you thought that Ray Jay and I were shacking up." She hurried on. "Not that I blame you! If my kid were hooking up with someone I thought was a brat, I'd probably be upset, too. Not that we're hooking up! Ray Jay and me, I mean. I mean, you know that, right?"

Dani smiled at her. She was both amused and touched by Juliette's admissions.

"Juliette, stop! Now that I think about it, for all those transgressions, I think you owe me a whole new wardrobe."

She grinned. "But I won't be greedy. I'll just take the dress."

"You will? That's great! I don't think it needs a single thing done to it, it fits you so perfectly. Why don't I get your address from Ray Jay and ship it to you in New York? That way, you won't have to cart it around with you."

"Perfect." She smiled fondly at her. "And thank you, Juliette. It's one of the loveliest presents I've ever received."

Dani wasn't talking just about the dress. No, she was pretty sure she had just been offered the gift of Juliette's friendship. And she was amazed to find that she valued that friendship, not just for Nico's sake, or for Ray Jay's, but for herself. Juliette was turning out to be so much more than she had ever expected.

Juliette beamed.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Dani and Juliette emerged back into the showroom, Ray Jay was waiting for them with Emilie in tow.

"Hey, isn't this great! I didn't know that Em would be here today. Now she can come to lunch with us."

"Ray Zsay, you know I do not like this stupid American habit of ze nicknames. My name is _Emilie_, not _Em_."

She turned to Dani. " 'Allo again, Dr. Santino…or may I call you Danielle?"

Dani's eyes narrowed just the slightest bit as she heard her son being chastised by his girlfriend _yet_ _again_, and a mischievous little devil took hold of her.

"Well you can if you want, but I really prefer _'Dani'_." She turned to Juliette, "So, _Jules_, where are you taking us for lunch?"

Juliette couldn't help but giggle - just a little. Emilie frowned, but the byplay flew completely over Ray Jay's head.

Because he was thinking about something else.

Ray Jay was looking around and wondering aloud, "Where are Nico and Gabrielle?"

Where, indeed.

XXXXXXXXXX

While Dani was trying on the emerald green designer dress, Gabrielle had designs of another sort on her mind.

She and Nico had returned to the showroom and sat down on one of the comfortable sofas that flanked its walls, he not looking at her, and she looking _nowhere but_ at him.

"Nico, darling, I'd love some coffee. Isn't there a café around here somewhere?"

The shop assistant, trying to be gracious to the boss's mother said, "Oh, Mme Pittman, I have some freshly-brewed coffee. I'd be happy to get you a cup."

For her efforts, she received a steely-eyed glare from Gabrielle.

The assistant hurried on. "Or, if you'd prefer, there's a lovely cafe not far away."

Gabrielle smiled. "I do prefer. Nico, let's take a little walk and get some coffee."

"I don't think so, Gabrielle."

She lowered her voice marginally. "Look, Nico, I think we need to talk. I know we both have things we need to say to each other."

He turned to her slightly, amazed at her persistence, "I don't have anything more to say to you, Gabrielle."

Her eyes narrowed. "Do you want to have this conversation here, Nico, or would you prefer the relative privacy of a café?"

Nico was frustrated. There was nothing he liked less than not being able to control a situation. Except maybe not knowing its outcome. But he certainly didn't want to have a private conversation where Juliette's very curious shop assistant could hear every word.

He tried another tack. "They'll be back out any minute, Gabrielle. It would be pointless to leave."

The shop assistant, whose name was Annette, and who was very young, cleared her throat, and looked like she wanted to say something. After all, this was Mlle Pittman's mother. Shouldn't she be as helpful to her as possible?

Gabrielle looked at her inquiringly.

"Well, I believe that the other lady was trying on some clothes, so that may take a little time." Her voice trailed off, and she began to wonder if she should have kept her own counsel when the man shot her a thunderous look.

But Mme Pittman seemed very appreciative.

"Thank you, dear. See, Nico, we have plenty of time for a little walk, a little coffee, and some conversation."

Nico sighed and asked Annette, "How far is the café?"

"It's just up the street – to the left." Her voice trembled a little. He scared her just a bit.

"When Mlle Pittman and Dr. Santino come back into this room, please tell them we've gone for coffee and will be right back."

"Yes, _monsieur_, I will."

XXXXXXXXXX

But she'd forgotten, until Ray Jay asked the question and then she was almost afraid to speak up.

She found her courage and told Mlle Pittman that her mother and the gentleman had gone to the café for coffee.

Annette had thought they'd be happy to know where their friends had gone, but not a one of them seemed pleased to hear her explanation. Except maybe that bitch, Emilie. But really she mostly looked bored. Annette gave Ray Jay her brightest smile.

XXXXXXXXXX

Gabrielle felt triumphant because she had finally managed to separate Nico from that insignificant Santino woman.

When he had told her last night that he loved her, _that he loved_ _Dani,_ Gabrielle had felt shock and disbelief, and then, finally, anger. He had no right to love anyone else. Not now.

Not when Gabrielle had wanted to move him from the back benches to the front rows of her life. She'd been waiting to do it for a whole year, biding her time until he was finished mourning Marshall, _or whatever the hell it was that was keeping him from her life and from her bed_, and finally came to his senses.

Another woman? She just wasn't having it.

She'd calmed down after a while, as she lay in her bed, unable to sleep. The calm had come when she realized that he couldn't possibly be in love with that woman. She knew it had to be something else.

Probably guilt. They'd deceived Marshall for a long time, she and Nico. Or so they'd thought, but then it turned out that he'd known all along. And besides, he was dead and buried.

So not guilt. She knew guilt was a waste of time anyway.

Maybe loneliness? But Nico had always been a solitary figure. If he'd wanted to find a companion to assuage his loneliness, he would have done so years earlier. Besides, Gabrielle would have been happy to keep him company. Of course, he would have had to move into her orbit, but she knew he would fit right in. Nico could fit in anywhere.

So he probably wasn't lonely. He'd always seemed to like his own company.

Lust? That was certainly possible. The Santino woman did have certain…_ charms_, but Gabrielle knew that she could never be competition for_ her_. Scores of men had commented on Gabrielle's beauty, and she knew that she was still as lovely as ever.

So it couldn't be physical. At least not completely.

Gabrielle had finally fallen asleep when she'd realized that it was probably nothing more than a simple case of propinquity. They worked together, saw each other a lot, not many women around, why not get together? Or, what did they call it these days? Hook up?

Gabrielle might have rethought that particular assessment of the situation if she'd seen the number of available women at V3 where Nico had been working for the past year. But she knew nothing about that; she imagined him still in the almost totally male environment of a professional football team.

No matter. So certain was she of the correctness of her analysis, that she knew she need only have the proper conversation with Nico to effect a permanent end to this travesty of a relationship.

Gabrielle was so adept at telling herself lies at this point in her life that she was able to disregard anything that might contradict her own conclusions, such as: she hadn't known where Nico was because he hadn't seen fit to tell her; he'd physically pushed her away whenever she had tried to touch him; he'd avoided an intimate dinner for two and had instead invited three other individuals to join them; he hadn't wanted to leave the shop until she'd blackmailed him into it with threats of exposure of his private life; and, finally, he'd told her he was in love with another woman.

This information did not fit into her long-awaited plan to become Mrs. Nico Careles, and so it was simply removed from her reality like leftover pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

She felt empowered, because she understood what had _really_ happened, and now she would begin to coax him back where he belonged. She smiled in anticipation.

They found the café and sat down at a table for two. "This place looks wonderful, Nico, darling. I am a little chilled. I'd like a cappuccino, please." Gabrielle gave him her order as though he were a barista and she a queen.

Nico sighed and brought the cappuccino and a coffee for himself back to their table. He sipped his coffee and waited for her to make her pitch. It wasn't long in coming.

"It's too bad we've had this little misunderstanding, Nico. I know you didn't mean to hurt me when you said those terrible things to me last night." The seductive smile never left her face, but he had long ago become immune.

He knew silence was probably not going to work this time. He had to be more a little more proactive in fending off her advances.

"There was no misunderstanding, and I don't recall saying anything terrible to you, Gabrielle. I merely brought you up to date on my life."

She tried another tack.

"I can see how easy it is to think you're in love when you see someone every day." She smiled in apparent understanding of his temporary lapse in judgment.

Nico continued to sip his coffee and didn't bother to reply to that one. He knew more was coming.

"You know I've explained to you over and over that I married the wrong man. But you see, that was another case where he was around and you'd gone away on some mission or other."

He remembered how devastated he'd felt when he'd come back from an operation and found that she'd married Marshall.

"I think you married exactly the right man, Gabrielle, one who could accept all the compromises that would be required of him if he was to continue to be married to you."

He was suddenly furious, but he revealed it only in the way he bit off his next words.

"I berated myself for years because I couldn't seem to stop caring about you, and Marshall, it seems, knew about us all along. Not that that made it any better. Not that that made what either of us was doing any less abhorrent."

"So you_ do_ feel guilty. I should have known that that's what was keeping you away from me." She looked triumphant.

"Of course I feel guilty. And I feel even worse knowing that I had to take on your guilt, too. That I was involved with a woman who didn't even have enough principles to feel guilty over her own marital infidelity."

He calmed himself with difficulty, forced his next words to be succinct, not allowing for any misinterpretation.

"Guilt aside, my…attachment…to you ended long ago, and you know it. You knew it in that hotel room in New York, and you know it now."

She seemed taken aback.

"And even if there were no Dani…although I thank God every day that there is…I would never want to be with you."

And now _she _was furious, as she pulled on her coat and rose to leave. But she was also determined.

Nico rose too, happy to bring this interlude to an end. His attention was elsewhere, but out of the corner of her eye, Gabrielle saw that Dani Santino had just opened the door of the café, and would no doubt soon spot them from across the small room.

So just then Gabrielle…stumbled. She stumbled quite badly, in fact, right into Nico. Nico was forced to put his arms around her, or they both would have fallen.

And so he pulled Gabrielle into his embrace in an effort to prevent a calamity, just as he looked up, straight into the eyes of Dani Santino, and realized that calamity had struck anyway.

Dani hadn't seen the stumble, but she did see the embrace.


	11. Chapter 11: Au Revoir

Chapter 11: _Au Revoir_

Juliette had been looking forward to hosting this luncheon. She'd played hostess a few times before, but those had been business functions, like the grand opening of the boutique. This was different. She'd spent a lot of time that morning selecting the perfect menu and the perfect wines, and she'd hoped that everyone would at least enjoy the food.

But things weren't going well. Considering the guest list, she hadn't really expected them all to be sitting around holding hands and singing _Kumbaya_, but this was beyond ridiculous. Something had ratcheted the tension level up to new heights, and Juliette wasn't quite sure what.

She hadn't seen what had had happened in the few moments that Dani was in the café, because the others had all emerged before she and Ray Jay and Emilie-the-Bitch had even reached the doorway. But she knew it must have been something…unpleasant, because Dani had come out sporting a squint so severe that Juliette knew it had to be giving her a headache.

Nico was composed, as always, but his face was rigid, and his eyes were stormy. And Gabrielle, well, she'd looked smug, and Juliette thought that that was the most telling sign of all, and not in a good way.

The _brasserie_ that Juliette had chosen for her luncheon party was just a few doors past the café. It had seemed so reasonable to suggest that rather than waiting for Nico and Gabrielle to return to the boutique, the others might just as well pick them up along the way. In retrospect, that may not have been such a good idea.

"What's goin' on, Jules?" Ray Jay, sitting next to her, leaned over and spoke in an undertone. "No one but us has said anything at all in the last 5 minutes. And I mean, my Mom. Usually, I'd have to interrupt her just to get her to pass the salt." He shook his head. "She's hardly said a word."

She shrugged. "I don't know, but I can guess that something happened in that café. Gabrielle did or said something outrageous that really pissed Nico off. And your Mom looks like she's about to spit nails, too."

She frowned. "Trust Gabrielle to fuck with their minds somehow. It's just the kind of thing that turns her on."

Emilie had been listening to the whispered conversation between Ray Jay and Juliette with a great deal of interest. Her eyes took on a speculative gleam as she wondered how she might use the apparent tension among the older three guests to her advantage. If she could find a way to cause some discomfort for either Juliette or Ray Jay's _maman_, well, that would _not_ make her unhappy.

Emilie didn't like Juliette; she didn't like the fact that her boyfriend lived with her boss, or that they were such good friends, but there wasn't much she could do about it. And she'd decided that she did not like Ray Jay's mother. She was far too…too…American. Why should he have to go back to New York to go to school? And earlier, that business about the nicknames. She sniffed. She knew that they were somehow _mocking_ her, but her English wasn't quite good enough for her to completely understand.

So Emilie tossed her well-coiffed head, smiled serenely, and waited to see how it would all play out.

Down at the other end of the table, Nico was trying to catch Dani's eye. He didn't want to try to explain that business in the café while they were having lunch; that would be a private conversation for later. He just wanted her to look at him. But Dani was quietly concentrating on her food, although she wasn't eating much of it, and ignoring all his attempts at silent communication.

As soon as lunch was over, and he could do so without hurting Juliette's feelings, Nico stood up and announced that he and Dani had to leave, because they had plans for the rest of the afternoon.

Dani wondered if this was some kind of ruse until she remembered their conversation that morning. She looked apologetically toward Juliette, who seemed disappointed but unsurprised.

"I promised Dani a visit to the Eiffel Tower," Nico said by way of explanation. "We're going by boat up the Seine a little later and we have to get to the dock."

"The Eiffel Tower? How very…touristy…of you. I've been to Paris dozens of times, but I've never felt the need to visit all the tourist traps." Gabrielle's smile was almost a sneer, and Ray Jay noticed that the unpleasant expression on her face did nothing to enhance her looks.

"Sounds like a blast, Mom. Visiting the Tower was one of the first things I did when I got here, but I've never gone at night. I heard the view of the city lights from the top is awesome!" It seemed nuts, but he almost felt like he had to defend his mother just because she wanted to act like a tourist. Hell, she _was_ a tourist!

He was beginning to understand why Juliette avoided her mother's company. She could be a real bitch.

"So will we see you tomorrow, Nico?" Juliette asked.

"No. We'll be leaving pretty early in the morning, Juliette. But we'll be in touch."

Dani hadn't said a word during this entire exchange, but now she leaned down to hug both Juliette and Ray Jay. "I'll call you," she whispered in his ear.

And then they were gone.

Gabrielle sat there shell-shocked. _He was leaving Paris?_ _But…she hadn't yet gotten what she wanted_. _And where the hell were they going?_ Her face hardened with frustration. Were they going home? Once he was back in the States, she knew it would become difficult to see him.

Ray Jay and Juliette sipped their wine and exchanged glances, and pretended not to notice Gabrielle's anger.

But Emilie noticed. As she had noticed that when Ray Jay's _maman_ and her…companion...said that they were leaving Paris, they had not mentioned their next destination. How odd. And clearly Mme Pittman was unhappy. Perhaps she wished to have this information, but Juliette and Ray Jay, they were saying nothing.

Emilie sipped her wine and considered. Was there something of a lovers' triangle here? But how delicious. So delightfully French, she thought, so unlike these usually insipid Americans.

Sadly, it seemed that Mme Pittman did not have the information that she needed to play her part in this game. But Emilie did, because Ray Jay had told her exactly where his mother was headed – although, at the time, she had only half listened. But she'd heard enough.

Should she speak?

And it was at that precise moment that Emilie took note of the glances that were passing between her boyfriend and her boss. They had appeared before, those glances, those intimate, _exclusionary_ glances that always seemed to signal some sort of silent conversation that she was not a part of.

She tossed her head; it was simply the last straw. A pout appeared on Emilie's face. She was not happy and someone must be made to pay for her discontent.

She decided that she would take her tiny revenge on_ Jules _and_ Dani_. It was such a small thing anyway.

"Oh," she said, looking around the table in as offhand a manner as possible. "They are going to Barcelona next, are they not? To visit that friend of your _maman_, whose husband is a chef, isn't that right?" Her voice rose at the end, as if she didn't already know the answer to her own question.

She turned toward Ray Jay. "What did you say was the name of his restaurant? Oh, yes. It is _Casa Augusto_, is it not? I'm sure it's a very good restaurant, but really, why go all the way to Barcelona when the best meals in the world can be found right here in _Paris_?" She gave a theatrical little shrug.

She could not keep the smugness out of her voice as she finished that last sentence. She congratulated herself that her English had been clear and precise as she picked up her glass of very expensive wine and took another little sip.

She glanced toward Mme Pittman, and saw that the expression on her face had changed from frustration to speculation, and she knew that her little seed of revenge had somehow taken root.

It was when she turned in the other direction and saw the look of loathing on Juliette's face and outrage on Ray Jay's that she began to perceive that she may perhaps have crossed a line. Her shoulders moved in a fine Gallic shrug. Oh well, she was young and beautiful and there were other jobs and other men.

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico was worried. Dani had scarcely said a word during their taxi ride to the boat dock on the Seine.

He had been to the Tower many times. It was one of those tourist attractions that he thought lived up to its billing, but he particularly loved the view at night, and he thought that Dani would love it, too, especially approached from the river.

They were more than an hour early. The boat was not scheduled to leave until 4:30, when it would begin its leisurely route up the Seine into the setting sun. It would dock right by the Tower, so its passengers could alight from the boat and begin their ascent.

But Nico could not have sat at that luncheon table next to Gabrielle Pittman for another 5 seconds, let alone another hour.

And besides, he wanted some time alone with Dani to straighten things out, to make her understand what had happened – and what had _not_ happened - back at that fucking café. It must have looked like he and Gabrielle were…what?...embracing, he supposed.

He fumed at how he'd let himself be manipulated by Gabrielle. He'd been so sure that he'd had that situation handled, but he'd been wrong - and Dani had been right.

He should have known that her insight trumped his. He had a good understanding of conflict and gamesmanship in whatever arena he needed to play in. But Dani understood people; she'd known instinctively that Gabrielle hadn't given up.

He found a café – thankfully they were ubiquitous in this city, which was a monument to leisurely conversation – and they sat down towards the back to wait until it was time to get on the boat. It was an odd time of day, a little late for lunch, but much too early for most other social activities, so the café was relatively empty. They would be able to count on some privacy.

"Do you want some coffee?"

She looked up with a wan smile. "Do you think they might have tea?" Dani's go-to comfort drink.

He felt a wave of relief. She was talking to him. That would do for now.

"I'm sure they do. There are enough British here in Paris that tea is almost always available. Sit tight and I'll be right back."

When he returned with her tea and another coffee for himself – his caffeine level was going to reach new heights today - he decided to at least try to explain.

"Dani, what you saw-"

"Why did you go to that café with Gabrielle, Nico?" she faced him and broke in abruptly. "You must have known that that's what she's been waiting for. Another chance to get you alone.

"So, why?"

He sighed heavily. He hated to admit it. "I was outmaneuvered, Dani. She wanted to talk and she threatened to bring up…private matters…in front of Juliette's staff." He rubbed his hands over his face. "I couldn't have that."

She could see his frustration. "I wasn't expecting it. I was very clear last night…about you, about us. I never thought she'd bring it up again. Hell, I didn't think she'd even want to see me again."

She took pity on him. "God, Nico, I sometimes think that what you know about women would fit on the head of a pin. Especially women like Gabrielle."

He nodded his head. "And I probably would agree with that." He huffed a laugh. "I believe I lost more than two decades of my life to that lack of perception."

They sat in silence for a moment, warming themselves in the chilly January afternoon with hot tea and coffee, before he explained further.

"She got her wish for a private talk, but I don't think she was too happy with my end of the conversation. "_This_ time…this time I was so clear that I think," he sighed a little, "I think I may have been a little cruel. And I really hadn't wanted to be. I lost control, and I said some things…" he blew out a little breath remembering what he'd said to Gabrielle.

"I didn't put it quite so politely, but the clear implication was that there were no circumstances under which I would ever want to resume our relationship."

He waited for more questions, but none came. She hadn't yet asked why she'd walked in and found Nico's arms around Gabrielle.

They sat there in the relative comfort of the quiet café until Nico judged that it was time to make their way to the riverboat.

XXXXXXXXXX

Juliette and Ray Jay had hustled her mother into a taxi shortly after Emilie had spilled the beans about Barcelona. Juliette had paid the bill at the restaurant, and then she and Ray Jay had returned to the boutique in a vain attempt to get some work done.

As they were leaving, in a final burst of optimism that she had not _really_ burned her bridges, Emilie had asked Ray Jay, smiling, if she would see him later. When he'd turned, even she could see that his face did not have its usual open expression. He'd looked right through her and paused just a beat before answering. "I'll call you," he'd said, politely and unconvincingly. But all three knew that the only call Emilie would be getting was the one from Juliette explaining that her services would no longer be required.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani seemed to relax a little as they traveled up the Seine toward the Tower. There was a party atmosphere on the boat, which was filled with tourists from all over the world. Nico counted seven different languages being spoken around him, one of which he didn't even recognize, much less speak.

The lights were dazzling. They were strung along the boat and along the river, and the Tower itself, as they approached it, seemed to rise into the sky in a golden glow.

Dani gasped as the grandly lit tower came into view. Nico stood closely behind her, and he couldn't stop himself from wrapping her tightly in his arms and dropping a lingering kiss on the top of her head. Her hands moved to caress his arms and pull him more tightly around her.

His relief was palpable. She hadn't yet heard the complete story, and yet it seemed she'd forgiven him.

When the boat reached the dock in front of the Tower, he was forced to release his hold on her, so that they could leave the boat and make their way through the entrance and to the lifts. And he was reluctant to do so. More than reluctant. His need to touch her and stay connected to her had grown all afternoon, until it now threatened to overwhelm him.

Nico Careles, a man who had never been accustomed to physical displays of affection, and certainly not in public, had to forcibly restrain himself from kissing a woman senseless in the middle of one of the biggest tourist attractions in the world.

He laughed out loud as that thought crossed his mind.

"What?" Dani asked.

"Nothing. I'm just happy." He hugged her to his side as they stepped out of the lift onto the 2nd floor to enjoy one of the most spectacular man-made views in the world.

Afterwards, they decided to have an early dinner in the _Jules Verne_ restaurant. They hadn't made a reservation, but it was a week night in January, and the restaurant wasn't as crowded as it would have been in July.

"I'm starving," Dani admitted after they were seated. She sighed. "Juliette ordered a beautiful lunch," she glanced up at him then,"but I just couldn't eat it."

"Then let's get some food into you."

It was getting late when they finished their meal and Dani still hadn't asked Nico about the incident in the café. And he wanted to explain what had happened. He needed to.

He took her hand. "Dani…aren't you going to ask me? About the café?"

"OK, Nico. Tell me about the café."

He sighed, hoping his powers of concise speech would not fail him.

"Gabrielle was furious, Dani. I'd thrown everything at her. I was so angry, not only at her for chasing us around town for the past few days, but…honestly…at myself, for wasting so many years of my life pining over her like some lovesick middle schooler. And I just…I lost control of my temper for just a few seconds, and I was probably a littler harsher with her than I needed to be."

Dani snorted and shook her head. "Somehow, I doubt that very much."

"In any event, she got up quickly and somehow stumbled right into me. I caught her and put my arms around her so we wouldn't both fall, and she threw her arms around me. That's when I saw you in the doorway."

Dani's lips twisted into a sardonic smile. "She just happened to stumble into you right in front of me, huh?" She shook her head. "I thought it must have been something like that."

Nico was silent, and a little puzzled.

"Then why…why were you so angry with me?"

"With you? I wasn't angry with you." She heaved a sigh. "I spent that entire lunch just picking at all that beautiful food, trying to control myself so that I wouldn't get up out of my chair, go over to Gabrielle, and slap her silly.

"I wanted to kill her."

"But you seemed more than angry – you seemed sad. Or am I wrong?"

This was the part that she really didn't want to tell him, because it left her so vulnerable.

She took a deep breath.

"That wasn't sadness. That was fear." She forced herself to go on.

"It terrified me that I actually wanted to do violence to her just because she…"

She broke off, tried again.

"I mean, I've known about your history with Gabrielle, well, since long before there was anything between you and me, really, and…and…I'm not really a jealous person…I mean, not particularly, so it didn't really make sense."

"What didn't make sense?"

She took a deep breath.

"I don't know, somehow this was different. I walked in, and you had your arms around each other, and I just…I don't know…I saw _red_."

She looked up at him, mortified. "And it scared the crap out of me, Nico. That I could feel that much anger over a mere…embrace.

"Do you understand?"

He understood. Oh, he understood very well.

"Are you ready to leave, Dani?"

"Yes, I think so." She was a little puzzled by the abrupt change of subject.

"Good." His eyes had darkened and he was looking at her intently. "Because I can barely stand not being able to kiss you right now. I only hope I can control myself until we get back to the hotel, because we're a little old to be making out in the back seat of a taxi."

XXXXXXXXXX

It was one of those nights when neither Ray Jay nor Juliette had any plans for dinner, nor did they feel like cooking or ordering takeout.

Ray Jay fished out the giant bag of popcorn, and they collapsed onto the couch in their most comfortable clothes. They tried to distract themselves with bad movies and worse TV shows, but underneath, they wondered what they should do.

They were worried. Gabrielle hadn't said that she was going to follow Dani and Nico to Barcelona, but, somehow, in spite of everything, they couldn't seem to shake the idea that that's just what she intended to do.

And then their worst fears were confirmed in the most prosaic of ways.

Annette, Juliette's very young and very nervous shop assistant, called with a long and involved tale of a very expensive _Hermes_ scarf that Mme Pittman had left at the boutique.

Juliette was only half listening, until she caught the words "called Madame at her hotel, but she had already checked out."

"Wait a minute, Annette. Did you just say that my mother had checked out of her hotel?"

"_Oui, _yes, that is why I am calling you. What should I do with the scarf?"

"Just leave it on my desk!" She hung up.

A quick call to the Georges V confirmed it. When the front desk realized that it was Mme Pittman's daughter who was calling, they were happy to let her know that the concierge had made a reservation for Madame at the Majestic Hotel in Barcelona. Yes, that's right, Barcelona, _mademoiselle_. They were happy to be of assistance.

It took Juliette only seconds to explain the situation to Ray Jay, and then a minute more to decide on a course of action.

"OK. Here's what we're gonna do. First, I'm gonna call Nico and tell him that Emilie spilled the beans about Barcelona, and that my mother is hot on their trail." She shook her head; she could hardly believe it. Her mother had turned into a stalker. She shivered. Not all that different from Etienne Gerard.

Ray Jay nodded his agreement that his mother and Nico should be told.

"And second. You and I…we're going to Barcelona."

"_What?"_

Juliette was planning it all in her head.

"I don't think Nico and Dani will be getting there until Monday, so if we get there on Sunday night, that should work."

"Juliette, are you insane? What about the boutique? You just _had_ to have me fill in for Martine, and suddenly it's OK if neither of us is there?"

"I know, I know, but this is more important. I'll…I'll get Annette to take my calls and forward anything important to my cell. She'll think it's a promotion. Or maybe you can find someone to hire tomorrow."

He looked unconvinced.

"Ray Jay, I have to do this. I need to give them some backup. This is all my fault."

"Seriously, Juliette? You think Nico Careles needs backup? From you?" He shook his head in disbelief.

"God, Ray Jay, yes I do! You don't have to come if you don't want to. But you saw what she's like. Oh, she's my mother, but I don't have any illusions about her ability to twist and manipulate things to her advantage. Nico seems so happy. I don't want Gabrielle to screw it up.

"And anyway, if I don't go, I'll just be worried the whole time."

She gave him her most beguiling look, the one that had gotten him to accompany her to Paris.

"That look doesn't work anymore, Juliette. I know you too well." He considered, remembering how upset his mother had been at lunch that day.

"And you'd get to see Lindsay. I've never met Lindsay, but I'd like to." She was wheedling now.

He laughed. "I don't know if you would, Jules. She's not exactly your biggest fan. And she can be scary as hell." But he _would_ like to see her. He'd missed her a lot.

"Give me a chance to change her mind."

"OK." He capitulated suddenly. "But we can't stay long. I'm scheduled to work with Marco at the end of the week.

"And you're paying for the tickets. First-class."

"But, of course," she said in a terrible fake-French accent. She threw her arms around him.

"You're the best friend I've ever had."

"Yeah, right. Especially when you get what you want."

XXXXXXXXXX

If there was one thing that Gabrielle Pittman knew how to do, it was plan.

And as soon as she heard the name "Barcelona," everything seemed to fall into place. It was perfect, really. It was a delicious coincidence, but she was not going to argue with fate. For once, it seemed to be on her side.

But she definitely needed a plan.

First, the call to the concierge, to inquire about trains to Barcelona. As it happened, the _trenhotel,_ the overnight train from Paris to Barcelona, had an available compartment, and would not leave until 8:30 that evening. She had plenty of time to make it.

She'd not been back to Barcelona since…that time…so she had no ideas about accommodations, but the concierge recommended The Majestic, and she asked him to book that, too. How long was she staying? Really, as long as it took. But that was not something she could tell the concierge.

"I'm not sure. I'll let them know when I get there."

"Very good, Madame."

Five hours later, she was lying in her compartment as the train hurtled through the French countryside, wondering at the turn of events that was bringing her back here. It had been twenty-four, no twenty-five years since it happened. Then, it had been merely an annoyance, but now…now she was going to be able to use it to her advantage.

And it was all true. That was what was so perfect about it. No one could say any different. She just had to do some checking before_ he_ got there. She wanted to make sure that she could find sufficient evidence…and even witnesses. Oh, yes, it was perfect.

She fell asleep with a smile on her face.

XXXXXXXXXX

They'd got to sleep very late the night before, so Nico had some trouble rousing Dani. He'd let her sleep as long as he could, but the car would be there in one hour, and he knew she'd need a little time to get ready.

She groaned into her pillow.

"Please, Dani. Not the groan. My intent is to get you _out_ of this bed, not me back in it."

Lately, he seemed to have less and less control where Dani was concerned. It should have been the opposite, he thought. They were together and he could anticipate being with her soon, if not immediately.

But that's not the way it was. It was as though once she'd breached his walls, once the damn had broken, his passion just couldn't be contained. He seemed to want her all the time.

He sighed. Like last night, for instance.

They'd made it to the suite without embarrassing themselves in public, but he'd had her in his arms as soon as the door closed. They'd never even made it to the bed…the first time.

He looked down at her now and felt such an emotional connection. He'd never expected to feel that way about anyone. Hadn't known such intense feelings existed.

OK. Not going down that path, or they'd never get out of there.

She finally opened her eyes, and saw him looking at her.

She smiled at the expression in his eyes. "What?" she asked.

"I love you," he said, smiling," but if you aren't out of that bed in the next 30 seconds, I'm going to pull you out.

"Your personal limousine service to Barcelona leaves in exactly one hour."


	12. Chapter 12: Interlude

Chapter 12: Interlude

The January morning was crisp and clear as Nico and Dani pulled away from the Georges V in Paris and headed south toward Barcelona. Nico enjoyed driving, and he thought that Dani would appreciate seeing some of the French countryside rather than just flying over it, so he'd arranged to rent a car in Paris and return it in Barcelona.

"Seems like old times, doesn't it, Dr. Santino?" he smirked as he headed out of the city.

"Well, if you're gonna start calling me Dr. Santino, I'd say it seems like_ very_ old times. I can remember a lot of trips that involved some pretty sticky situations – many that began with a knock on my door at 3 a.m. – and that ended with you driving all over creation…"

"And _you_ catching 40 winks in the passenger seat!"

She laughed. "I need more sleep than you do!"

He looked at her affectionately. "But we always made a good team. I think we still do."

She patted his arm. "I agree.

"So how far are we traveling today, Nico?"

His quirked an eyebrow at her. "Well, that's entirely up to you."

That answer made Dani sit up and take notice. "Wait a minute. There is no well-thought-out and absolutely inflexible Nico-plan for this drive?"

"Nope."

"OK. What's wrong with this picture?" she teased. "Nico Careles always has everything planned down to the tiniest detail. So what has made this, you should excuse the term, 'control freak,' decide to become a Bohemian? Eh, Careles?"

"Very funny." He shook his head and smiled ruefully. "Perhaps you haven't noticed that all my carefully laid plans have pretty much turned to shit so far on this trip.

"We stayed an extra day in Pittsburgh because my Mom wanted to have a family get-together."

"And I'm so happy that we did. I loved spending time with your family!"

He frowned. "You're interrupting my pity party, Dr. Santino. Then we got to Paris, and I had to deal with Juliette's situation with that asshole Gerard. That took up most of the first couple of days.

"Then Gabrielle showed up." He sighed. Enough said about that.

"We could do this trip in a straight shot in about 10 hours, but we have three days, since you've already told Jeanette that we wouldn't be there until Monday. So instead of just taking the E15, I thought we might go a little off the beaten path. How does that sound?"

"Like it's just what the doctor ordered."

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani started to drift off, just like she always did when she rode long distances with Nico. Usually, she was something of a backseat driver, a habit that had formed over years of monitoring Ray's erratic driving. But with Nico, she always felt safe enough to close her eyes and relax.

And besides, they'd left a little early and she hadn't gotten much sleep. She remembered why and smiled to herself.

She was awoken a short time later by a strange sensation against her leg, and she finally realized that her phone was buzzing in the pocket of her jeans. She just missed getting to the call before it disconnected.

"Oh, shit. I forgot to take my phone off silent. You know, after the Eiffel Tower."

There'd been a sign asking everyone to put their phones on silent mode. They'd both complied, willingly. Phone calls were the last thing they were looking for at that point in the day.

Nico looked a little sheepish.

"You, too?" she asked.

"Well, I was a little distracted." He grinned at her. "Can you grab it from my jacket and see if I have any messages."

Dani looked at both phones. "Uh, oh."

"What's the matter?"

"We each have a half a dozen messages. Yours are from Juliette and mine are from Ray Jay. I'll call him back right now."

Ray Jay answered on the first ring.

"Mom, thank God."

"You're scaring me, Ray Jay! What the hell's the matter?"

She heard a commotion in the background, and could just make out Juliette saying, "Give me the phone, Ray Jay." And then her voice came on the line.

"Dani, we've been trying to get you since last night. After you left, Emilie opened her big, fat mouth and told my mother that you guys were headed to Barcelona. She even told her about that restaurant that your friend's husband owns."

She paused. "And then later on, we found out that Gabrielle…honestly, Dani, I had no idea she'd do anything so…I don't know…creepy!" She sounded both angry and apologetic.

"What's Gabrielle done now, Juliette?"

Nico glanced over at her, a worried frown on his face. Dani shook her head and shrugged.

"She's gone to Barcelona. I'm not sure how she's traveling, but she doesn't like to fly unless she has to, so if I had to guess, I'd say she's probably taken the train. She's staying at the Majestic Hotel."

Dani was so shocked, she was speechless. Even for Gabrielle, this seemed a little…over-the-top.

"And Dani? We're coming to Barcelona, Ray Jay and me. On Sunday night."

"What! But…but why, Juliette?"

"Because I got you and Nico into this mess and I'm not letting you face her alone." She sounded very determined and very worried.

Ray Jay grabbed the phone back at that point.

"Mom? This was Juliette's idea, but just say the word and I'll lock her in the closet or something. We've already fu…uh…screwed up your vacation enough as it is."

He went on, "But…I have to admit, I wouldn't mind seeing Linds. It's been kind of a long time."

Dani glanced at Nico, but knew that if she asked, he would say that this was her call.

"No, don't lock her in the closet, Ray Jay." She sighed. "You might as well come. Nico and I have 3 days of alone time to decompress, and," she suddenly smiled, "it _would _be great to have my two kids in the same room again."

"OK, Mom, if you're sure."

"Just keep me posted."

Dani hung up and looked at Nico. His faced asked the question.

"Gabrielle is on her way to Barcelona. And the cavalry, in the form of Ray Jay and Juliette, are riding to the rescue. They'll be there on Sunday night."

Her tone was light, but Nico could see the worry in her eyes.

He shook his head in disbelief. "I guess we'd better make the most of the next three days."

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico had had the kitchen at the Georges V make them up a picnic lunch, so that they wouldn't have to find a restaurant until the evening. Dani agreed that this was a terrific idea but, uh-

"Spit it out, Dani. What's wrong?"

"Well…don't get _too_ far from civilization, OK. I mean, at some point, I'm going to need to use the…uh…facilities."

"The facilities?" It took him a second. "Oh, yeah, of course. We'll be passing through small towns, and they all have cafes and restaurants. Some even have inns, so don't worry.

"You know, Dani, You'd never have made it in the military," he teased.

"Well, that's pretty much a given," she smiled. "And that reminds me Nico, that's one thing we've never talked about."

"What's that?"

"Well, you said you joined the Navy at 22. So how did that come about?"

He paused and then gave her a big grin.

"Football."

"You joined the Navy because of football?"

"In a way.

"My Dad came east to Pittsburgh to go to school, but he's originally from Indiana. And a college football fan. Now if you're from Indiana, and you're into college football…."His voiced trailed off, and he was thinking she might catch on…but no.

"Notre Dame, Dani. My Dad was a huge fan, and I grew up watching and discussing Notre Dame football like it was a religion. So, when it came time to choose a college, I was so enamored of the place that I didn't even consider going anywhere else."

"Notre Dame? That's a great school, not easy to get into. Of course, I assume you were a good student, Nico."

"I don't know why you would make that assumption, Dani, but as it happens, I was. I was accepted, but there was still a major stumbling block."

He gave her a quick look out of the corner of his eye.

"When we were in Pittsburgh, did you happen to hear about what my folks did before they retired?"

"They were both teachers, right?"

"Right. High school. Mom taught math and Dad, social studies. They made a decent living, especially since my Dad worked construction every summer for probably 30 years. When they got old enough, the twins worked every summer, too. That's how they learned the business."

She nodded and he continued.

"But two teachers' salaries, even with the extra from construction work, couldn't cover the exorbitant costs of a school like Notre Dame. Especially in a family with six kids.

"So I started looking for ways to foot the bill, without putting myself in hock for the rest of my life. I played football in high school, but I was nowhere near good enough to play at a powerhouse school like Notre Dame, so a sports scholarship was out of the question."

"You played football, Nico? Were you the quarterback?

"How did you know?

"Just a wild guess." She smirked a little.

He looked a little puzzled, but he continued his story.

"It was my guidance counselor who suggested I apply for an ROTC scholarship. I'd have to serve for some number of years after graduation, but that didn't bother me at all. In fact, it was an enticement."

He looked at Dani and shrugged. "I was a stupid kid."

"I applied to all the services, and the Navy gave me the best deal. I got a full scholarship."

"So you found a way to go to Notre Dame, and age 22 was you just out of college, fulfilling your obligation to the Navy."

"That's right."

"And the SEALS? How long before you joined up, or however you do it?"

He gave her a little smile. "We have 3 days, and I'm already getting a little bored with my life history. Maybe the SEALS can wait until tomorrow."

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani's phone rang again while they were stopped along the roadside enjoying their picnic lunch in the early afternoon sunshine. This time it was her daughter.

"Linds."

"Hi, Mom. I wanted to let you know that I booked a flight from JFK to Barcelona that leaves at 7 pm on Monday night, and gets in at 9 am on Tuesday morning. I'll text you the flight information. Can someone pick me up at the airport?"

"Of course. Oh, and guess what?" She couldn't keep the smile out of her voice. "Ray Jay and Juliette are coming down from Paris, so they'll be in Barcelona, too. It'll be like old home week."

Lindsay was silent for quite a while.

"Linds?"

"Mom. Ray Jay and_ Juliette_?"

'They're just friends, Lindsay, and really, she's a pretty decent person. I think you gotta give her a chance."

Another pause, not quite so long this time.

"If you say so. It _will_ be great to see that stupid brother of mine."

She hung up in a rush. "Bye, Mom, I don't want to be late for school."

XXXXXXXXXX

While Nico and Dani were leisurely making their way along the minor highways of central France, Gabrielle Pittman had already arrived in Barcelona and checked into The Majestic. It certainly wasn't up to her usual standards, she thought, but it would have to do.

She was having lunch in the dining room – at least it _had_ a dining room– and making a list of everything she needed to do to ensure the ultimate success of her plan. Every detail must be considered so that her account of events would be accepted. She knew she had the advantage of having truth on her side, but she needed to prepare for every eventuality.

It felt good to have a project. She spent entirely too much time doing nothing at all that really required any input of intelligence or energy. And the prize to be won if, no _when_, this…this… _mission _was successful, would be more than worth all her efforts.

She had bought a map of the area, and she spread it out in front of her now on the dining table. That was her first obstacle: She couldn't quite remember the name of the town, only that it was right outside Barcelona.

And then, all of sudden,_ there_, she was pretty sure that was it. Terragona. And then she looked again at the map, certain this time.

Terragona was a coastal town, and the map identified it as being along the shores the Balearic Sea. She remembered now. She had kept referring to it as the Mediterranean Sea, and they had kept correcting her. The people who actually had to spend their lives in that dismal place. As if she'd really given a crap which sea it was; she'd just wanted to get the hell out of there.

But now it came back to her. Terragona, on the shores of the Balearic. Not far from the Mediterranean.

She gave a little laugh. Apparently, she'd finally gotten that correct.

Now she needed to find the house. She was sure that armed with a street map of Terragona, plus a little luck and a little time, she could find what she was looking for.

Of course, _that_ was a worry. She didn't know how much time she had.

How had they traveled? Was he already in Barcelona? She needed to follow up on that, too. Check into that restaurant, maybe. See what she could find out. Although she'd have to be careful, because she didn't want to run into him prematurely. No, she wanted to make sure that once she got his attention, she'd have all the facts she needed to ensure that he remained riveted.

And of course she'd also need the public record. As evidence. For some reason, Gabrielle found the idea of visiting city hall and asking about the public record to be somewhat…distasteful. She didn't look too closely at why.

So she decided she'd leave the record search for the next day.

After lunch, she returned to the lobby and asked the concierge to procure her a taxi, along with a street map of Terragona.

When the taxi arrived, she settled herself into the back seat. Although the day was a bit chilly, only in the mid-50's, the winter sun was shining through the taxi window, and she felt warm inside.

It was only a first step, but she could already see the end game.

She knew that she'd found the right key to open the door to Nico Careles. And now she just had to turn it in the lock.

XXXXXXXXXX

They hadn't been driving in a straight line, but rather meandering all over the countryside. Dani used her smart phone to access the Internet - although reception was often spotty at best – to find interesting or attractive places to stop along the way. It certainly wasn't the tourist season, but that very fact appealed to them. They rarely had to share their finds with any other travelers.

Nico had been right. They went through plenty of small towns, and even some larger ones, and there were inns or small hotels in many of them. When it got dark, as it did early at this time of year, they decided to stop in a town that boasted a quaint but decidedly dilapidated-looking inn. Its most desirable quality was that it had a restaurant, and the locals seemed to be lining up to eat there. That made it just about perfect, since they were far too tired to have to search for some other place to dine.

They were happy to find that there was a room available, but they also understood that this inn would not have amenities such as a king-sized or even a queen-sized bed. No. They would have to make do with a plain old-fashioned double-bed that had probably been in service since the end of World War II.

And there was no room service. Breakfast was included with their room, _but of course_, but they would have to emerge from that room to enjoy it.

No, it certainly wasn't the Georges V, not even close. But to them, it had one extremely desirable feature: they didn't know a single, solitary soul within at least 300 miles.

Or perhaps _two_ desirable features, Dani thought as she kicked off her shoes and spread her travel-weary body across the bed. It was extremely comfy, she told Nico, and that was a definite plus, considering how much time they were planning to be in it.


	13. Chapter 13: Looking Back

Chapter 13: Looking Back

For the first time since they'd left New York, Dani and Nico woke up that Saturday morning to a gloriously miserable day. Driving rain held most of Western Europe firmly in its grip, and they knew, without saying a single word, that their pleasant ramble through the countryside had come to an end.

After a look at both Worldwide Weather, to confirm the wet forecast, and Google maps, to examine their location with respect to their destination, Nico came up with an alternate plan.

"I think we should get back on the E15 and head to Narbonne. We can get there in just a few hours. Maybe we can find a decent hotel and hole up there for the rest of the day. I think our sightseeing is over, Dani, at least for today."

Dani took one look outside and shuddered her agreement.

When they got on the road, the weather was so bad that it precluded anything but minimal conversation. Nico was completely focused on staying on the road, even as sheets of rain lashed them seemingly from every direction.

Dani had been busy with her smart phone. "I think I've found us a decent hotel in Narbonne, Nico. It's in the city center, has fireplaces in the rooms…"

She got no further. "Book it," he said. His credit card appeared in his hand before she could even open her handbag.

He waggled it at her. "Let's not have this argument, Dani. I let you pay for our hotel last night, but that's not happening again."

XXXXXXXXXX

They made Narbonne in time for a late lunch, which they ate seated cozily in front of a roaring fire in the dining room.

"Have you ever been here before, Nico?" Dani asked her question idly. "I mean in Narbonne?"

Nico paused and thought. "I believe I have, but not for any length of time."

"I don't suppose I can ask when you were here, or why."

Nico sighed. "Dani…"

"OK. OK. But what _can _you tell me about? You never finished your life history yesterday," she teased.

"It's not exactly memoir-worthy."

"It is to me."

Nico could see that she wanted it all, or at least all that he could tell her, so they got bottle of wine, and some glasses and moved the conversation to their very comfortable room. They settled themselves on the sofa in front of the gas fire, and Dani looked at him expectantly.

"SEALS, Nico. That's where you left off yesterday."

He nodded his head and his eyes became a little vacant, as though he were looking somewhere in the distance. He smiled at her.

"This may sound a little boastful."

She chuckled. "I would be shocked."

"The thing is…it wasn't very long after I was commissioned that I was approached and encouraged to apply to be a SEAL."

"So you were recruited."

"More or less. There's a huge dropout rate during SEAL training, so it wasn't a given that I'd make it, but yes, I guess I was recruited."

"I won't ask why because I think that's pretty obvious. What kind of training?"

"A SEAL is a combatant, Dani, so I think you can pretty much guess without my going into detail. The initial training took more than a year, and then there was an additional 15 months of specialist training before I was actually deployed as part of a team."

"Did you learn all your languages while you were a SEAL?"

He smirked. "Well, not _all_ of them. My English was pretty good by the time I was 3 or 4."

"Very funny."

He laughed. "I was pretty fluent in French by the end of high school, and I added Spanish in college. While I was in the Navy, I picked up two more languages."

He paused, and her eyebrows rose expectantly.

"Russian and…Arabic. I always had a good ear for languages."

She wanted to ask 'Why those,' but she didn't. She didn't have to.

But what she did say was, "And it was just before your first SEAL deployment that you met Gabrielle Pittman, wasn't it? I think that's what you told me that night in my car."

He sipped his wine and looked out at the dreary grayness of the day, remembering.

He smiled at Dani. "Actually, I'd met her earlier, shortly after I was commissioned. Of course, she was still Gabrielle Sinclair then."

XXXXXXXXXX

Gabrielle Pittman was pissed.

She hadn't been able to find the house, even after several very expensive hours with the world's stupidest taxi driver. Not even after she'd described it and its setting in great detail. Huge stone house, surrounded by stone walls. On a cliff. By the ocean. Long driveway. Flowers and fruit trees in the garden – although not much at this time of year, of course.

It was all she could remember.

All to no avail. She'd been so exhausted from her efforts that she had fallen asleep at an indecently early hour.

And now the rain.

She'd woken up to it this morning, and the first thing she'd thought of was how it would complicate her already dismal prospects of finding the right house and the right people. She didn't want to have to call Celia. That would be a last resort.

So she'd decided to turn her attention to obtaining the records from city hall, only to learn that since it was Saturday, the offices were not open. _Who gave a damn if it was_ _Saturday?_ She wanted to rail at them, but the only one around to complain to was some sort of janitor, who told her she would have to come back on Monday. She returned to The Majestic in a state of complete frustration.

But then she had her first stroke of luck. At lunch, her waiter noticed her poring over a street map of Terragona, and asked if he could help.

"Why should you be able to help me?" she practically snarled at him.

"Your pardon, Senora. I am from Terragona, and I simply wondered if you were looking for anyplace in particular."

She studied him for a moment.

"Are you free this afternoon? Do you have a car?"

He was startled and began to be sorry he'd offered assistance. Sometimes these well-preserved older women, they made indecent propositions to him. Well, he could not help his looks, but he wanted to get ahead at the hotel, didn't want any black marks on his record.

But he found he was wrong. The senora was not looking for a man to warm her bed, she was looking for a particular house but didn't have the address. He agreed to assist after 3 p.m., when he would have a long break before dinner service began.

As it turned out, once she described the house to him, he didn't even need to start his car to bring her search to an end.

"But of course, that is the Salazar house. It was a very well-known landmark."

Salazar. That sounded like the right name.

"Was?"

"I am sorry to say that the house was destroyed in a very bad storm when I was just a boy. But there are many other fine houses of the period that I could…"

"I don't give a damn…that is…it's not the house I was interested in, so much as the…owners. The Salazars. Do you know what happened to them?"

"No."

Her face fell.

He laughed. "But my _abuela_ knows everything and everybody, so I'm sure she'll have the answers for you." He started the car. "We'll go see her now, Senora Pittman, and you can ask your questions of me, and I will ask her."

An hour later, Gabrielle had learned that Maria-Teresa Salazar, who was now over eighty, was living in a small apartment near the city center. She considered. Should she call ahead, or simply show up? She finally decided on the latter. If she wanted to be able to help Senora Salazar remember the facts _correctly_, she shouldn't give her any time to think about it ahead of time.

Yes, definitely the best plan.

Gabrielle and her escort easily found Senora Salazar's apartment, and Gabrielle told him he could wait in the car. She wouldn't need a translator.

She knocked on the door, and at first thought that no one was home. But then it swung open and a very old lady peered out at her.

"Senora Salazar, do you remember me? My name is Gabrielle. It was a long time ago, and I was here with my friend, Celia. We stayed with you in the stone house by the sea."

"_Dios mio_! Of course I remember you. You're…you're…Gabrielle?" She looked closely at her, a little uncertain.

"That's right, I'm Gabrielle. And my friend was Celia."

"Yes, of course." More certainty now. "You must come in. Look, Marta, look who is here." And an even older woman appeared behind her, her eyes penetrating and her glance cold.

Of course, Gabrielle thought, a frown starting to appear. The housekeeper. How could I ever have forgotten about _her_?

"I need to talk to you, Senora Salazar." She moved out of the doorway and into the room. "I have a friend who needs to learn about what happened here 25 years ago, and I need you to…help me…explain it to him."

"But…I thought…it was all to be kept a secret, that no one must be told. Is C…Celia here, too?" She looked back at the door, as though she expected someone else to walk in, too.

"No, it's just me." She smiled at her reassuringly. "But now the secret needs to be told."

She left an hour later, satisfied that Senora Salazar had remembered everything just the way Gabrielle desired. Her driver/waiter drove her back to The Majestic, and got a very big tip for his efforts.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani didn't know why she had even mentioned Gabrielle, but sometimes she just couldn't help herself. To her, the subject of Gabrielle was like the sore tooth that you couldn't resist biting down on to see if it still hurt just as bad.

"I think you are already aware of my history with Gabrielle, Dani. Is there anything else that you want to know?"

"What was she like, Nico, when you first met her?"

"Dani…"

"No, I know she was beautiful and sexy…and…and…exciting. I get that part. I mean, did she have a…a … warmth then? Was she…open and friendly? Kind and loving?"

He pondered her question, then gave her an honest answer. "Not really."

"Then why…? Why for all those years?"

"I don't know if it's possible to really explain. I'd met her shortly after I joined up, and I was only a kid, and I thought like a kid…and had a kid's desires.

"I met Marshall a little later, during my SEAL training; eventually, we were part of the same team. He saved my life during our first deployment together, but he was wounded. When we came home, I introduced him to Gabrielle. I was redeployed, but he stayed behind because he was still healing. I came home several months later to find that they were married."

He laughed ruefully. "That really was the capsule version, wasn't it?"

He shrugged. "I know what you're asking me, Dani. Why didn't I just let go? I've asked myself that more times than you could possibly imagine. I think I never got over not being able to fight for her before she married Marshall, because I wasn't around. But…he'd saved my life, and I couldn't hate him for desiring the same woman that I did.

"At first, Gabrielle gave me all sorts of excuses as to why she'd taken up with him, and then later…much later… she kept telling me over and over that she had married the wrong man. And then of course there was Juliette. But that turned out to be a lie."

He sighed.

"But in the end, it didn't really matter. It was like a hole in my life that never got closed, and I couldn't seem to get past it. Didn't even really want to…until I met you."

"But…I was much later, Nico."

"No, I meant you, Dr. Santino, the good friend and sensible woman who helped me to see why it wasn't good for me to keep yearning for something that I didn't even really want anymore. Not you, Dani, the woman I _did _want, _do _want."

He looked a little rueful, as though he'd just thought of something.

"What, Nico?"

His mouth twisted in a sardonic smile. "You do see the irony, don't you, Dani. You helped me see that I was really over Gabrielle, that I didn't have to waste any more of my life pining over her. You gave me the ability to understand that I could have another life, another love.

"And then…before I even knew it was happening…I fell in love with _you_. And I couldn't have you either."

He shook his head again.

A look of sadness came over Dani's face.

"Can we talk about _that_, Nico? About the last year?"

"I thought we did. I told you everything about the FBI operation. For the first time in my life, I broke security, because I couldn't stand the thought of losing you…of you not trusting me."

"I'm sorry about that, Nico. If I had known…. But I'm not talking about that…about your involvement with the FBI. I'm talking about…our time apart."

He was silent, getting up and pouring them both more wine.

"What is it you want to know?" He looked a little wary.

Should she ask? She knew she wanted the answers, but she also knew that the answers that you got to difficult questions weren't always the ones you wanted to hear.

She took a deep breath and forged ahead.

"When you didn't answer my phone calls and my texts,…was it…were you…"

She tried again.

"Were you hurt, or were you angry, or were you trying to keep me away from you because of the FBI sting?"

There. She'd asked it. It was out there. He'd told her all about how the FBI had forcibly recruited him for their operation, and how he couldn't tell her because the feds hadn't wanted her to know. But not about this. They'd never discussed _this_.

Nico had known he couldn't escape this question forever. He'd been expecting it sooner, but they'd never had a chance to take a breath, not for the past week or more.

And here it was. And he _still_ didn't know if he could explain it in a way that would make sense to her, but he knew he owed it to her to try, because he'd hurt her, even though he'd never meant to.

"I guess the reasons I kept you at a distance, well, they kept changing. In the beginning…I think I told you before, Dani, I'd seen Donnally kiss you, and …that hurt. I'd thought your relationship with him was over. When I realized it wasn't, I couldn't get out of there fast enough."

It was an effort for him to talk about this.

"So when you started calling me and texting me, I knew you were trying to maintain our connection…as friends. Not answering, not returning your calls – it was childish, I knew that, but I couldn't seem to find any other way to cope. In my mind I was…I don't know…punishing you, I guess. You'd chosen him, so you couldn't have _me _in your life as well. The truth was… I wouldn't have been able to hear the sound of your voice, let alone see you, without having some sort of…reaction."

He remembered how disgusted he'd been with himself at his inability to control his reactions to her.

He sighed. "I'd spent my adult life learning to maintain self-control in all sorts of complex and dangerous situations. Hell, I'd been able to maintain a calm façade with Marshall for more than two decades, even when I was sure I was in love with his wife. But I_ knew_ I wouldn't be able to see you without losing control, without showing some emotion, and I couldn't even be sure what it would be. Love? Anger? Frustration? Disdain? Passion? Some would have been real, some would have been self-protective shells, but I didn't want you to see _any_ of them."

He could see out of the corner of his eye that Dani was blinking back tears.

"Then I heard that you and Donnally had broken it off."

"How did you hear about that, Nico?"

He paused, slightly embarrassed. "TK called me."

Now it was her turn to be embarrassed. "TK called you…to talk about me?"

"Yes."

She shook her head. "I'd like to have heard _that_ conversation."

"It wasn't a long one." He told her about it.

XXXXX

_Nico had been in the car when his personal phone had rung. He'd looked at the caller ID to make sure that it wasn't Dani and had been surprised that TK was calling him. He was a little curious, because while he'd known TK for several years, Nico no longer worked for the Hawks and he and TK weren't exactly friends._

"_Nico Careles."_

"_Yo, Sneako, wassup?"_

"_TK. How can I help you?"_

_Nico thought he'd seemed a little hesitant – and 'hesitant' wasn't usually in TK's playbook._

"_Uh, I'm thinkin' maybe TK can help _you_, my man."_

"_How so?"_

"_Well, it's about Dr. D. and…Matty D."_

_Nico had almost hung up at that point, but thought that doing so might give him away._

"_Yes?" He braced himself. Were they married?_

"_Well…after the game a couple weeks ago, we all thought…you know…there was a little somethin' somethin' going on with them. Or maybe even more than a little." He'd cleared his throat._

"_I'm driving, TK. Get to the point."_

"_Point is…point is…somethin' is now nothin'. Matty D up and married that Noelle chick…and word is she got a bun in the oven."_

_Nico had almost driven off the road._

"_You still there, Sneako?"_

"_Is that it?"_

"_Yep, that's all I got."_

"_Goodbye, Terrence."_

_He'd pulled over as soon as he could, because he'd suddenly been shaking with anger, and he was finding it hard to keep the wheel steady. He'd sat in the car, using calming techniques, waiting for his body to respond so that he could resume driving._

_He had some compassion for Dani, but at the same time he was furious with her. She'd chosen another man over Nico, and that man had betrayed her. And Matt Donnally? He'd never been Nico's favorite person, too slick, too glib, too full of boyish charm that Nico somehow found phony. But he'd never thought he was stupid. Noelle Saris over Dani Santino? Nico had shaken his head, turned the car back on, and gotten back on the road._

XXXXX

He continued now. "I was furious, Dani. Even though I knew it wasn't your fault, I was still furious with you. So for a while, it was that anger that kept me away from you. And then, after a while, the anger went away, and it became about keeping you safe, keeping you away from this mess I'd gotten myself into."

He looked at her and knew he had to be completely honest with her. Anything less than that would be a lie, and he didn't lie.

"But it didn't really matter why I was staying away from you, because no matter what reason I gave myself, I still missed you so much that it was almost a physical pain. I thought about calling you, more times than you could imagine. Some nights, I sat in my apartment, in the dark, thinking of little else. It became a game I played with myself, like I was at some fucking AA meeting. 'One day at a time,' I'd tell myself.

"But there was no 12-step program available for what ailed me."

He drained his glass and sighed, hoping that she'd understood.

"So when you called me and asked me to come to V3?" Her question was tentative.

"I had no choice. You had a reputation for being the best sports psychologist around, and McClane was aware that I knew you. But I didn't expect you to stay…to become a part of my life again."

He got up then and walked over to the window to look out at the rain, remembering his dismay that day – and his elation.

"Jesus, Dani. The day you accepted the job at V3, I was all over the place. I didn't know if it was the best day of my life, or the worst. I knew I was going to have to walk a tightrope around you until I could finally get the feds off my back."

He turned and looked at her.

"I forced myself to keep trying to push you away, when all I really wanted to do was pull you into my arms. And sometimes…I knew you could see that.

"Push, pull. Push, pull. I couldn't seem to stop myself."

She acknowledged her confusion about his behavior. "And all those mixed signals you sent out drove me crazy – and made me _do _some crazy things."

He nodded. Emotionally, they'd both been a little out of control during those endless months.

Dani got up then, put her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his chest.

"We both suffered so needlessly." She sighed.

He kissed the top of her head. "I forgot to add that the final decision is now in, and there was no contest. The day you took the job at V3 was very definitely the best day of my life."

XXXXXXXXXX

Gabrielle had almost decided to avoid the cold and rain by eating in the hotel that evening and putting off her visit to _Casa Augusto_ until the next day. But she had learned her lesson at city hall, and sure enough, when she checked, she found that the restaurant was closed on Sundays. So she asked the concierge to make a reservation for her under the name of Gabrielle Sinclair.

She doubted that anyone would know either her or the Pittman name, but it wouldn't do to take chances.

She arrived there for her meal by taxi and found that _Casa Augusto_ was a mid-level, but decent, restaurant, offering traditional regional fare.

She chatted up her waiter, who fortunately was fluent in English, and soon found out that Augusto and his wife and baby lived nearby. She had finished her meal and was paying her bill when a small blonde woman about Dr. Santino's age came in, wheeling a baby in a stroller.

Gabrielle knew that this couldn't be a coincidence, especially when she heard the blonde's English-accented Spanish as she spoke to the hostess. She handed the hostess what looked like a pair of glasses and they both laughed.

"_Hasta luego_, Jeanette." The hostess said her good-byes.

By now, Gabrielle was certain that this woman was Dani Santino's friend, and she suddenly realized what a golden opportunity had been presented to her. Since Jeanette had the baby in a stroller, perhaps she was actually on foot. And it would be vital to know just where she lived, because she would certainly be the key to finding Nico in what was, after all, a very large city.

Her decision made, Gabrielle rose quickly and followed Jeanette out the door.

It was not in her nature to be stealthy. Quite the opposite. Gabrielle generally liked to be the center of attention. But tonight…tonight she walked quickly, listening for the sound of her own footsteps. She pulled her coat more closely around her, thankful that the rain had lessened and that she was not too uncomfortable, and she followed Jeanette home.

It wasn't far, perhaps a quarter of a mile, when Jeanette turned into a very large stucco and tiled house that looked like it had stood on that spot for centuries. Gabrielle watched her go inside, and then turned back toward the restaurant to get a taxi back to the hotel.

Another small step could be checked off her list.

XXXXXXXXXX

By Sunday morning, the rain had stopped, although there was still a definite chill in the air.

Juliette and Ray Jay had worked all day Saturday and a good part of Sunday to make up for their coming absence. Juliette often surprised herself with how invested she was in making sure that her successful business maintained its popularity. And now? Working on the weekend? She could hardly believe it.

They were on a late afternoon flight, since it was just a short hop by air from Paris to Barcelona, but Juliette wanted to be able to check into their hotel in time to have a decent dinner.

She'd spent a lot of time deciding which hotel to book. She wanted to be as far from The Majestic as possible, since she didn't want to run into her mother accidentally. She finally chose The Renaissance, and booked a two-bedroom room suite, rather than two separate rooms.

After all, she and Ray Jay had shared her flat for more than a year, so it seemed reasonable that they could deal with a suite.

Juliette had noticed that the hotel had a spa, and she thought that maybe Dani, or even Jeanette and Lindsay might enjoy that indulgence – as her treat. The hotel also had a glass-enclosed pool and other amenities that appealed to her.

Hell – if she had to take a forced vacation, she might just as well enjoy herself. She began to look forward to this unexpected trip.

"What are you grinning about, Jules?"

"I was thinking we might as well try to have a good time in Barcelona."

"I thought this was a rescue mission for Mom and Nico."

"Yeah," she looked at him coyly, "but not all the time."

XXXXXXXXXX

After driving through the pouring rain for hours the previous day, and then spilling his guts to Dani, Nico had been exhausted. Dani had watched him drift off almost immediately after they finished the dinner that they'd had delivered to their room.

She'd settled herself next to him, and relaxed into the warmth of his body, and thought about how, against all the odds, they'd somehow found their way back to one another. And fell asleep.

Early the next morning, she was awoken by Nico trailing soft kisses across her face and down her neck. When she finally opened her eyes and smiled at him, he wanted to know, "Why did you let me fall asleep on you last night?"

She ruffled his hair affectionately. "I could see you were tired, Nico."

His eyes darkened as he ran his thumb across her bottom lip, and she could feel herself responding – as always.

"I'm not tired now, Dani."

So they'd left Narbonne a little later than he'd planned, but the weather was dry and they were making good time. By mid-afternoon, it was clear that they could easily reach Barcelona by that evening.

"Do you think that Jeanette would be upset if we showed up tonight instead of tomorrow morning, Dani?"

He didn't know Jeanette, but from everything he'd heard about her, it seemed likely that she'd be so happy to see Dani that any other considerations would be secondary.

"Why don't I give her a call and find out?"

But Nico had been so exhausted that he'd forgotten to charge their phones the night before.

"Oops! Out of juice. Both of them." She looked over at Nico and he raised his eyebrows, asking what she wanted to do.

She made a decision. "Let's just go. We have the address, and I know she won't mind."

By 9 p.m., they had reached the outskirts of the city, and within 20 minutes, they were pulling into the parking area at Jeanette and Gusto's home.

Dani was in a hurry to see Jeanette, so she hopped out of the car, too excited to wait for Nico. He smiled, amused by her eagerness to see her oldest friend, and started unloading the first of their luggage from the trunk.

Dani rang the bell, and then stood on the doorstep smiling broadly, wondering what Jeanette would have to say at her unexpectedly arriving a day early. But she could not have predicted her friend's response.

"Oh, shit," Jeanette gasped, when she opened the door and saw Dani standing there. "Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit." She stepped aside just slightly.

Dani laughed and moved inside. "Well, that's quite a greeting, Jeanette Fiero. I know you didn't expect us until tomorrow, but…" She broke off as she heard another voice from further inside the house.

"Dani? Is that you? Hey, this is great! Jeanette said you wouldn't be here until tomorrow." He was moving toward her as she stood there, just inside the doorway,

And then he was right in front of her, all six foot two of him, bright-eyed and grinning broadly – and sweeping her into a hug before she could even react to his presence.

"Matt! What…what are you _doing_ here?" She could hardly get the words out.

He pulled back, still smiling, thinking about how to answer her question, but that moment passed and would never return again. Because he looked behind her then, noticing, finally, her companion, who had made his way across the threshold, and was standing very still, a suitcase on either side of him.

And the smile fell clean off Matt Donnally's boyish face.

"I'd very much like an answer to that question." Nico said. And he wasn't smiling.


	14. Chapter 14: Monday in Barcelona

Chapter 14: Monday in Barcelona

If this were a film, Gusto couldn't help thinking as he came into the room at the tail end of that little scene, the director would have been ecstatic about the number of reaction shots he'd be able to get of each of the individuals who now stood, unmoving, just inside the doorway. Pedro Almodovar would surely have known how to frame each face so as to capture what its owner was thinking and feeling, even absent any dialogue.

With three of the cast of characters, the director's task would have been easy. Perhaps his notes would have read something like:

Jeanette: contrite and embarrassed

Dani: bewildered and worried

Matt: confused, but determined

But the fourth character, the man standing closest to the doorway, the man that Gusto did not know – ah, that man's reaction would have been difficult to capture on film, because he seemed to have no reaction at all. His face was completely unreadable. But Gusto knew in his passionate Spanish heart that that shuttered look, which gave away nothing, was most certainly concealing the most powerful emotions of all.

Gusto sighed, dismayed. He felt responsible for the awkward little drama that was playing out in his living room. When Matt had come into his restaurant the day before and reintroduced himself so charmingly, Gusto had welcomed him as an old friend. He'd remembered Matt, of course, as Dani's_ amore_ from New York. He may have heard something from his wife about that romance being at an end, but, to tell the truth, he hadn't paid much attention.

And even if he had – well these things happen. People fall in love – they have a parting of the ways – they fall back in love. Who knew? Perhaps that was what had happened with Dani and Matt. And so he had invited him to dinner at his home the following evening.

Jeanette had been upset. She knew the whole story – was there a whole story? – Gusto wasn't sure - and she didn't know what to say to Matt, who had clearly come to Barcelona in search of Dani. Jeanette knew that Dani had moved on to another love, another _amore_, but she had also told Gusto that she didn't think that it was up to her to give Matt this piece of news.

Dani, after all, wasn't due until the next day, and she could warn her then of Matt's presence in Barcelona and let Dani take care of the situation herself. He shook his head now; like many Latins, he had a fatalistic view of life. Things sometimes did not go as planned.

He looked at his wife and silently asked her what she wanted him to do. And then, as though some switch had been flipped, the little tableau came to life.

Jeanette was the first to recover. She noticed that the cold air was coming in through the front door and asked Nico to shut it. He seemed to shake himself as he moved to the door to comply with her request.

"Let's go inside and sit down." Jeanette tried, but no one moved. She was looking desperately for a way to recover from the single most awkward situation in which she had ever found herself. And that was saying something, because Jeanette had always been the wild child in the Dani/Jeanette friendship, and she did not embarrass easily.

But this…this was a nightmare.

Then Dani turned and saw Nico's face, and her heart sank. This was not the Nico that she had wanted to introduce to her best friend.

She looked toward Jeanette for some sort of explanation. 'Why is he here in your house?' her eyes seemed to ask.

Jeanette could only look her response. 'I'm sorry' was clear in her eyes.

And then Matt spoke.

"Dani – you're here…with Nico?" He looked bewildered.

"Yes. How did you know I was coming here…to Barcelona?"

"Your mother." But she'd told him nothing about Nico. "I've been trying to find you, to talk to you, I went to your house, and…"

Another voice jumped in then, quick and hard. "And why is that, Donnally? Why have you traveled all the way to Spain to talk to Dani?"

Matt glanced at Nico warily and knew that this was not the time to press his suit. He knew nothing of any Dani/Nico relationship, and he kept his ear to the ground about things like that, so it couldn't have been going on very long. He decided that his best course of action at that moment was retreat.

"Dani, it's late, and I'd guess you've been…traveling. Why don't I come back tomorrow and we can talk?"

"I don't know, Matt. There really isn't anything to talk about."

Matt looked around at his audience – the three other people in the room, one especially, that he did not want as witnesses when he spoke his piece.

"I'll come by tomorrow." He said it softly, as if for her ears alone, although he was aware that the others could hear. "I'll call you to see what…what time would be best. Thanks for dinner, Jeanette, Gusto." He shook Gusto's hand and walked out the door, brushing by Nico as if he didn't exist.

And his snub had been reciprocated.

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico had brought in the rest of the luggage and deposited it in the guest bedroom, all the while saying very little. He had been polite to Jeanette and Gusto – he was always unfailingly polite if not engaged in actual combat of some type – but he was not the same Nico that Dani had been traveling with for the past week. His walls were up and his eyes were shuttered, and no matter what Dani said to him, his response was minimal.

"Nico," she'd tried once again, "what was I supposed to do? You know that I had no idea that he'd be here. I don't know _why_ he's here."

He'd looked at her then, shaken his head. "You can't be that naïve," was all he'd said.

He'd changed into a heavy sweater, put his coat back on, added a scarf, and announced that he was going out to take a walk.

"At this time of night?" Dani had been bewildered.

"I need to think," he'd said. "I do that best alone."

"This is a huge house. Can't you find a room to think in? It's…it's dark out there."

That had almost made him smile. Almost. "Dani, I'll be fine. You're tired. Go to bed."

And he'd gone out the front door into the night.

Dani had tried to sleep, she really had. But she'd gotten used to the warmth and comfort of Nico's body next to hers far more quickly than she could ever have imagined, and she felt the ache of missing him.

She lay in bed for a long time, thinking that he would surely be back at any moment, but as the minutes ticked by, she became restless and knew that she couldn't lie there and simply wait.

She got up finally, donned the blue silk bathrobe, and went out into the kitchen to see if she could find the makings for a cup of tea. She was surprised to see Jeanette there, until she realized that she was nursing little Sergio, who'd been asleep when Dani and Nico had arrived.

"Oh, Jeanette, he's beautiful. Pictures just don't do him justice."

Jeanette beamed. She'd come late to motherhood, but her maternal instinct was as fierce as any woman's on the planet.

"I love him to pieces. Now, if only he'd sleep through the night, I'd be happy as a clam. He usually does, but I fed him a little early because," she looked apologetically at Dani, "because Matt was coming for dinner, and when I heard him crying, I didn't want him to wake you guys up, so I thought I'd just give him a little snack," here she giggled, "but he is nine months old and this has gotta stop…"

"Jeanette. You're babbling."

"I know. Sorry, sorry." She took a deep breath. "Dani, I am _so_ sorry about Matt being here. Gusto didn't know – well of course I told him but he forgot – that you were with Nico now, not Matt, so when he saw Matt at the restaurant yesterday, he just invited him, and I thought it wasn't my business to tell Matt about your love life and…"

Dani shook her head at her oldest friend and covered her hand with her own. "Jeanette, however it happened, I know you didn't intend to hurt me, or…or Nico."

Her expression was bleak. "And Sergio didn't wake anyone up, because I was already up and Nico's gone out for a walk."

"What…now?"

"Well, actually, if your clocks are correct, almost two hours ago. I came down to make myself a cup of tea."

"Oh, God, Dani." She looked down at her son, now sleeping peacefully again. "He's out for the count. Let me put him down, and I'll be right back."

A few minutes later, Dani and Jeanette were seated at the table, comforting cups of tea beside them, as Dani poured out her tale of happiness - and sudden worry.

"Jeanette – Nico's not usually like this. Well, I mean, of course this is_ exactly_ what he's like, this is what he was like when I first met him, but – not now. Not with me. He finally opened up to me, and," she looked up at her friend as tears came unbidden, "I love him. I love him so much."

Jeanette smiled, nodded. She could see very well the intensity of Dani's feelings. "And I think maybe you've been in love with him for a while now. Isn't that right?" she asked softly.

Dani sighed her agreement. "He took me to meet his family last weekend. In Pittsburgh." She laughed, but there was a lump in her throat. "When I first met him, it took me months to get out of him that he was even _from _Pittsburgh. And they were great. He has a great family. And we were so happy traveling together. Having so much fun. Even after Gabrielle Pittman came to Paris."

"What! Gabrielle Pittman was in Paris? But wasn't she, like, an old flame of Nico's?" Her question was tentative, her expression quizzical.

Dani had long ago given Jeanette the barest sketch of the relationship between Nico and Gabrielle, simply saying that they had dated before Gabrielle married Marshall Pittman.

"I think she wants him back, Jeanette. She's followed us to Barcelona."

"What the hell?"

"And Ray Jay and Juliette are here, too. Juliette insisted, because she felt responsible for Gabrielle following us all over Europe. And now Matt's here." She moaned. "Things keep getting more complicated."

Jeanette shook her head, as if trying to clear it so that she could absorb and organize all this new information.

"Gabrielle is an old flame of Nico's?" Jeanette was shrewd. "And perhaps there's more to that story than you told me originally?"

Dani reluctantly nodded.

"Aha." Jeanette continued. "And she showed up in Paris, and now she's in Barcelona? And Juliette? Wait a minute, that's her daughter, and you hate her because she seduced Ray Jay into going to Paris, right?"

Dani nodded – then shook her head.

"Right about Gabrielle. Wrong about Juliette. I don't hate her, and she and Ray Jay are friends – and flat-mates, not involved. Although sometimes I wonder." Her eyes were thoughtful.

She took a breath. "But I don't hate Juliette. I've gotten to know her a lot better on this trip, and she's a good person. And Nico loves her like she was his own daughter."

"But she isn't?"

"What?"

"She isn't his own daughter?" Jeanette had caught something in this narrative that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"No, she's not. But she loves him like one, and she's family to him. That's why she felt responsible for Gabrielle's behavior. She kind of let the cat out of the bag about Nico being in Paris, and then Gabrielle just showed up."

Jeanette was mulling it all over. "So – Ray Jay and Juliette are here. And presumably Gabrielle. And now Matt. Anyone else?"

"Well, you remember that Lindsay's arriving Tuesday morning?"

"That I do remember. I've got her room all ready."

The both sipped their tea in silence for a moment.

"I just don't understand what Matt is doing here, Jeanette. I tried to tell Nico that."

"That's what you said to Nico? That you didn't know what Matt was doing here?"

Dani nodded.

Jeanette sighed. "Well no wonder he went out for a walk. He's probably wondering how the smart woman he fell in love with became so stupid all of a sudden!"

"Jeanette!"

"Dani – a man doesn't fly almost four thousand miles to see a woman unless he has something very important to say to her. Matt obviously didn't know about Nico, but just as obviously, he came here with the sole intention of getting you back in his life. How can you not get that?"

"But he's married, Jeanette. With a baby. And he knows me far too well to think that I'd…I'd take up with a married man."

"Are you sure he's married, Dani?"

"Well, of course. Why do you ask?"

"Because he wasn't wearing a wedding ring."

XXXXXXXXXX

By the time Dani got back to their room, Nico had returned and was sleeping. She was sorry, then, that she hadn't waited in bed a little longer. Maybe he would have wanted to talk – after all that thinking.

She curled up next to him and tried to absorb as much warmth as she could from his body, and finally, out of sheer exhaustion, Dani fell asleep.

When she woke up the next morning, Nico wasn't in bed. Gone were her hopes for a calm morning conversation. Damn him for needing so little sleep!

She showered, threw on some jeans and a sweater, and wandered out to the kitchen, where she was amazed to see Nico and Gusto companionably cooking omelets and crepes, while carrying on a conversation in rapid Spanish. That's right - Spanish was one of Nico's languages.

"What time is it?"

"Almost 11, Dani. What time did you get to bed?"

"I don't know. Jeanette and I were talking in the kitchen. So maybe 3 or 4? How long have you been up?"

"Couple of hours." He put down the knife he was using to chop vegetables and came over to give her a hug. "I'm sorry," he said in her ear. "We'll talk later."

But when Dani looked up at him, his eyes were still guarded.

The doorbell rang just at that moment, and when Jeanette answered the door, Dani heard two very familiar voices.

"Hey, Jeanette. You look great. Motherhood must agree with you." Ray Jay enveloped her in a hug.

"Oh, my God! You can't possibly be my godson, Ray Jay Santino! Because he's just a little kid, and you, my friend, are a 'babe.'"

Jeanette laughed when Ray Jay blushed. But she couldn't believe how much he'd changed since she'd last seen him. He was a man, now. A young man, of course, but definitely all grown up. She eyed his companion shrewdly and wondered if Dani was right about their relationship. But she decided to give Juliette the benefit of the doubt.

"Jeanette, this is Juliette." Dani had drummed manners into Ray Jay from infancy.

"Hi…is it OK if I call you Jeanette?" She stuck out her hand.

Jeanette ignored the hand and gave Juliette a hug. "God, yes! Anything else would make me feel ancient. Come on in. Nico and Gusto are cooking up a storm."

Dani was a little confused, but finally figured out that Ray Jay and Juliette had been invited for…what?...brunch, she guessed.

"I called them, Dani. Jeanette was kind enough to let me invite them for a late breakfast," Nico explained.

Dani felt a little out of the loop, but she was happy to see them both. Maybe now things could get back to normal.

XXXXXXXXXX

Juliette had been relieved when Nico had called an hour ago and asked if she and Ray Jay wanted to come for a late breakfast, or an early lunch. Things had been a little awkward between them ever since they'd arrived the night before.

And she wasn't sure what to do about it.

It had started when Ray Jay had found out that she'd only booked one room. As soon as the door had closed and he'd looked around the suite, his face had squinted just like his mother's and he'd started to complain. Juliette had been irritated.

"_But it's a two-bedroom suite, Ray Jay. I mean, we've been living together – well, you know what I mean – for over a year. Get over yourself!"_

"_It's not like you couldn't afford two separate rooms, Juliette." He didn't know why, because she was right, they had been flat-mates for a long time, but the idea of sharing a hotel suite with her had unnerved him slightly._

"_What – you need a private room so you can pick up some skank at the pool or someplace and have a place to bang her?"_

"_What the hell? No! This is a _family_ vacation, for Christ's sake. I'm not planning on picking up anyone! I'm just surprised that you decided to cheap it out." He was getting more and more agitated._

"_Cheap it out? This suite costs more than two separate rooms would have, you idiot! I still don't see the big deal. We each have our own bedroom."_

_It wasn't a money thing? Ray Jay was more confused than ever. "Yeah, but they're practically on top of each other. And did you happen to notice that while we each have a bedroom, we have to share a bathroom?" The flat had two bathrooms. Juliette's was en suite; Ray Jay used the main bathroom._

_She hadn't noticed. Hadn't even really thought about it. She'd just wanted his company, like she always did. _

"_Do you want me to try to get another room?" she asked, a little bleakly._

_But Ray Jay was beginning to feel like an idiot. The suite had a lot of extras that most hotel rooms didn't have – like a real living room, and an almost full-sized kitchen. And his bedroom, whichever one it was because they were the same size, was large and looked comfortable. Juliette had been trying to do something nice for him, and he was trashing her efforts. What a jackass he was sometimes. It's a wonder she hadn't started calling him 'Butterscotch' again._

"_Nah, never mind, Jules. I don't know why I wigged out. I'm sure it'll be fine."_

_She was a little confused by his sudden capitulation. But that was Ray Jay. He'd be all pissed off, and then everything was suddenly OK. She wouldn't even try to understand._

They'd had dinner after that and everything had seemed fine until this morning. She had to admit, that had been a little, um, unexpected. She'd wandered into the bathroom without thinking, mostly because she had to pee so badly, and Ray Jay was standing there, all wet from his shower, with a towel wrapped around his waist.

She was lucky she hadn't peed in her pants! Thank God he'd gotten to the wrapping the towel around himself point, because what was on view from the waist up had been, well, amazing! When the fuck had Ray Jay gotten so…awesomely buff? He didn't walk around shirtless at home, and while he'd started going to the gym just about the time they arrived in Paris, she just hadn't seen the results of his efforts to…to…bulk up!

Juliette Pittman, who had had far more lovers than a girl her age should have had, flushed like a school girl after seeing her best friend's naked chest. How fucking weird was that?

"Um, can I use the potty, Ray Jay?" Thank God, he'd seemed oblivious to her reaction to him.

"Of course, Jules, it's all yours. I'll shave when you're done." He'd scooted past her and into his room.

Ray Jay sat on his bed, understanding that he'd had a really close call. It was a damned good thing that he'd put that towel around himself. He'd been in the shower, and for some reason he hadn't been able to stop thinking that Juliette was lying in her bedroom, just on the other side of the bathroom wall. He'd seen her a million times in her sleep shorts and tank top, but today was somehow different. It affected him in a new way, and the towel around his middle was the only thing that had prevented Juliette from seeing the evidence of his, er, confusion.

He'd gotten dressed and shaved just as soon as she'd vacated the bathroom. "I think I'll look around this place while you get ready, Juliette. It seems like a really, uh, interesting hotel."

She'd given him a strange look and nodded her head. It was only a short time later that she'd called and told him that they were invited to Jeanette's for brunch. He'd been relieved, very, very relieved.

XXXXXXXXXX

While Jeanette and Gusto were hosting a brunch, Gabrielle Pittman was making her plans for the day. Monday was finally here and she could get that one oh, so important legal document to back up her…claims. She found that a taxi was waiting for her when she emerged into lobby, just as she'd requested.

The concierge saw her out the door and into the taxi and gave the driver the address.

"Good luck, senora." He didn't know why he said that. He had no idea why she was going to city hall. But she seemed like a woman on a mission.

When Gabrielle walked into the records office, she found that there was a long line of people ahead of her. How annoying. She wished she could have sent someone else to do this task for her. But who? She didn't know a soul in Barcelona, except of course for Senora Salazar in Terragona, but then she recognized that this was much too delicate a matter to be left to anyone else.

She finally reached the head of the line and made her request.

"In Terragona, Senora? What date?"

Oh, she hadn't really thought about that. "October, I think. No, wait a minute, late September, the last week in September…I think." She gave him the year.

The records clerk looked at her very strangely.

"And you say the name is Gabrielle Sinclair?"

"That's right."

Thank God for computers. She'd never really thought much about them before. But instead of hours searching in a musty book in a basement or storage room, the computer spit out exactly what she wanted in a matter of minutes.

"Here you are, Senora." He handed her a printed copy. "That will be ten euros, please."

Gabrielle was so happy she would have given him a hundred euros. Oh, this was going to be so easy.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani was helping Jeanette clean up the dishes from their very cheerful brunch, and Jeanette was regaling Dani with her impressions of everything and everyone.

"Well, first of all, now that he isn't all glum and forbidding, but funny and entertaining instead, the thing I have to say about your new boyfriend is…yum!"

Dani threw back her head and laughed. "I think I'd definitely agree with that assessment. You should see him dressed in one of his designer suits. Double yum!"

They both laughed as only two women who had known each other from the cradle could.

Jeanette had a further observation on another topic.

"Ray Jay is getting pretty yummy himself. Now don't go all frowny on me, Mom. The guy is growing up, and he seems to be doing a good job of it. And the thing is - I've been watching him with Juliette, and it seems like_ she's_ noticed, too. Maybe they've only been friends up 'til now, but something's in the wind. I'm never wrong about these things. Does that worry you?"

Dani shrugged. "I've seen right from the beginning that they're very close, but they insisted they were just friends and flat-mates. Ray Jay actually had a girlfriend when we first got to Paris, but I'm pretty sure that relationship is kaput."

"So fast?"

"Someone must have heard my prayers."

"You didn't like her?"

Dani thought about Emilie for a minute, Emilie who could never be Em. "She was awful, Jeanette. If Ray Jay broke up with her because of Juliette, then I can't be unhappy. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"But she's older than he is, right?"

"At least 4 or 5 years. But the age difference just doesn't seem as great as when they were both in New York. So I'm not sure what to think."

Fortunately, they chose that moment to change the subject to baby Sergio, because Juliette herself stuck her head in the kitchen doorway about 30 seconds later.

"I forgot to tell you. I made reservations for 4 at the spa in my hotel for Wednesday afternoon. I thought we could all go – including Lindsay. Um, my treat, of course."

Dani could tell by the way her voice trailed off that she was unsure what the response to her gesture would be. But Jeanette answered for her.

"Wow, what a great idea, Juliette! I never turn down a chance to pamper myself. Thanks so much."

Dani smiled at her warmly. "I'll look forward to it – and I know Lindsay will love it, too."

She put her arm around the girl. "That was a very thoughtful thing for you to do, Juliette."

She was amazed to see that Juliette looked for a second like she was going to cry.

It was at that exact moment that Jeanette's house telephone rang. She picked it up quickly so that the baby wouldn't wake up. But her smile faltered as she handed the phone to Dani.

"It's Matt," she whispered.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Matt Donnally had been so sure that if he could just talk to Dani, just explain to her what a colossal jackass he'd been, how he'd totally and completely fucked up, she would understand and she would let him back into her life.

When he'd married Noelle, it had been with the best of intentions. He'd wanted a family, and then, just like that, one had presented itself. He'd done all the right things, hadn't he? He'd married the girl, moved to her home town, and he loved his now-6-month old daughter as much as any proud father could.

He'd thought it would be enough. And maybe it would have, if he hadn't, one night, in the throes of passion with his wife, uttered the name 'Dani' at the crucial moment, instead of the much more appropriate 'Noelle.' And the house of cards had begun to crumble.

Not that Noelle thought that he'd been seeing Dani. He wasn't sure if she trusted him, but he knew damn fucking well that she trusted Dani, and that she knew that Dani would never be involved with a married man. But it had broken something in Noelle. She had hoped that their marriage, and their move, and baby Ava, had all meant that Matt's feelings for Dani had subsided.

But with that one single breathy 'Dani,' she'd found out differently.

They'd tried after that, and they were still not officially divorced. But, despite Ava and all their good intentions, it looked like it might be going in that direction. Noelle was pretty well convinced of it. And he had felt really shitty about that. Not only because he loved his daughter, but because with Noelle, he had had the family life that he'd craved.

But then it occurred to him, out of the blue one day when he was feeling particularly sorry for himself, that he now had the _child _that he'd always wanted. And that maybe he could now go after Dani, since she was the _woman_ he'd really wanted.

And he'd come all the way to fucking Barcelona to made that dream happen, and who did he find her here with but fucking Nico Careles.

When Matt had returned to his hotel after seeing Dani at Jeanette's house, he'd taken advantage of the time difference to call everyone he could think of in New York to see if anyone knew about a Dani/Nico relationship. He'd tried a lot of people they'd all known at the Hawks, but since Dani had moved on to a new job, no one there seemed to know anything about her personal life.

Until he'd thought of calling TK. He didn't know why it hadn't occurred to him right off the bat. TK was a patient, but he'd almost become a friend to Dani. If anyone knew anything, it would be TK.

His hand shook as he found and punched the contact, not knowing if TK might have changed his number, but it was answered on the third ring.

"Hey, Matty D! How's it goin'?"

"I'm OK, Terrence. I'm OK."

"So why you callin' TK? You know I'm not a free agent any more. And I kinda like it here in Jersey. Don't fancy no move to Boston. I heard it's damn cold up there!"

"Yeah, TK. It does get cold in Boston. Um, I'm not really calling about football."

"No?"

"Look, TK. I was wondering…have you maybe heard anything about Dr. D?"

TK's voice, when he answered, had changed.

"What about her?"

"I heard – and I know this is going to sound crazy – but I heard that she might have got involved with…um…Nico Careles."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line.

"You know, I like you, Matty D. You were always good to me when I was with the Hawks. So I'm gonna try real hard not to get pissed off. But I gotta say, after what went down with you and Dr. D., you got a helluva nerve askin' that question. Dr. D. is one fine woman, and if she can put the smile on a man like Nico Careles, then she's also one amazin' woman. And that's all I gotta say."

"So…you're saying they _are_ involved. That other people know about this."

"What I think I'm saying is that you should maybe mind your own business and let Dr. D. and Nico work it out between themselves. And I'm also sayin' goodbye."

And he'd hung up.

But Matt had found his confirmation. Now he wondered what he was going to do about it.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Matt, I told you last night that I don't have anything to say to you."

Pause.

"I can't imagine what you could have to say to me."

Pause.

"Yes, I understand that you've come a long way…"

Pause.

"Look, OK. We're kind of in the middle of something here." She was resigned to having to talk to him. Why not get it over with? "Why don't you come by in an hour?"

She hung up.

Five pairs of eyes were staring at her. She tried to explain herself.

"People need closure. If he has something he feels he needs to say, I need to let him say it. All my training tells me that this is the right thing to do." Her voice was pleading for understanding.

Nico stood in the kitchen doorway, a closed look on his face. He looked at Dani and just nodded his head.

"Always was your call, Dani. I'm thinking of going out for a drink. Gusto? Ray Jay?"

"Nico, it's two o'clock in the afternoon. And Ray Jay is underage." Dani's protest was more automatic than heated.

"Not in Spain, Mom. But I'll stick around if you want." He couldn't believe that no one had told him that Matt Donnally had somehow reappeared on the scene, but it hadn't taken much to figure out the situation. And he didn't like it one bit. It seemed to cheapen his Mom. And if there was one thing that his Mom never was, never had been, and never would be, it was cheap. He was pissed.

"No, go ahead, Ray Jay. Jeanette and I were talking about going shopping later, anyway. Would you like to come, Juliette?"

She could see Ray Jay and Juliette having a silent conversation with their eyes, Ray Jay's flicking to Nico with a nod.

"OK, Dani. I always love to shop." Juliette decided to make up the sides and stick with the women.

And so it was that when Matt Donnally came to say his piece to Dani, the men had already left together in a cadre of testosterone, and the women were left to deal with the drama.

Jeanette had fetched the baby and was in the kitchen feeding him when the doorbell rang.

"Go ahead, Dani. Juliette and I will be right in here if you need us…for anything."

Dani squared her shoulders as she moved toward the front door, and opened it to her visitor.

"Hello, Matt. Please come in."


	15. Chapter 15: Old Flames Part 2

Chapter 15: Old Flames Part 2

In the end, Matt Donnally had persuaded Dani to hear him out by suggesting that because of her profession, she should understand and sympathize with his need to speak with her. So she had given in, but she was determined to control the conversation, and to treat it in just that way.

Professionally. If she could. Because it was, after all, a little more personal than talking to a patient.

She was seated now in a comfortable chair in Jeanette's living room, relaxed but alert, while Matt was sitting across from her on the couch. Her goal was to keep the focus on him, and whatever issues he had, without discussing her own life. She would respond to him as kindly, but as directly, as she could, and then get him out the door as quickly as possible.

She felt it was a good plan. Matt was, after all, a pretty laid-back guy. She was sure he would appreciate and respond to her honesty.

"Thanks for talking with me, Dani. I know this isn't the best of circumstances. I would rather have been able to see you at your home, but I guess I got there a little too late." His boyish grin was fully in evidence. He used it, she knew, as a weapon to control situations, but it wouldn't be working today.

"How did you get my mother to tell you where I was, Matt?" she asked pleasantly. "You're not exactly her favorite person." It didn't matter at this point, but Dani was still curious.

"Well," and here he had the grace to look a little uncomfortable, "when I realized after knocking on your door for three days in a row that you were probably away, I called her and told her that I'd left something at your house and asked if she'd let me in to get it. She told me that she didn't have time, and I was just going to have to wait until you got back from Barcelona. I'm pretty sure she was very happy _not_ to help me out."

His grin became wider.

"But she did help you, didn't she? Because that's all you really wanted to know. Where I was." She'd always known that Matt could be a bit devious when he needed to be.

"Yeah. When she said you were in Barcelona, well, I knew you must have come here to visit Jeanette. And Dani, I needed to see you right away. I'd finally figured it all out and I just didn't want to wait to talk to you."

He seemed about to launch into a long speech, but Dani jumped in first.

"Where's your wedding ring, Matt?" Jeanette had been right; he wasn't wearing one.

"Uh, I took it off."

"Why is that? You're still married, aren't you?

"Only officially. Noelle and I – we've been separated for a couple of months now."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Matt. Have you tried marriage counseling? I always recommend it for my patients who have marital problems. It's amazing what an objective, skilled therapist, one who's specially trained in helping couples like you and Noelle, can do to help repair the rifts in a marriage."

"Noelle didn't think marriage counseling would help."

"Well, you could always go alone. Even that could help you to identify problems, give you a little more clarity about your relationship with Noelle."

Dani's pleasant facial expression and warm tone of voice had not changed since they'd begun talking, and Matt finally noticed.

"Dammit, Dani! Don't go all Dr. Santino on me. I'm not your patient, and I didn't come here to discuss my marriage." He ran his hand through his hair, and tried to redirect the conversation.

"I don't want to talk about Noelle…"

"Then let's talk about your new baby, Matt. Did you have a son or a daughter?"

"You don't know?"

"How would I know? I haven't seen you or heard anything about you since you came by to tell me that you were moving to Boston. So which was it?"

"Huh?"

"Girl or boy?"

"A girl, Dani. I have a beautiful daughter named Ava. She's six months old."

"That's great, Matt. Congratulations. Do you have a picture of her?"

Matt was rubbing his hands nervously across his legs, and he was having a hard time sitting still. This discussion with Dani wasn't going in the direction that he intended.

"Dani – I didn't come here to talk about either my w…wife or my daughter. I came here to talk about us. About you and me." His voice was earnest, and a little heated.

"Matt, there is no 'us.'" She said it very softly, looking him directly in the eye. "There hasn't been for more than a year. You know that."

"But we were in love, Dani. The only reason we didn't stay together was because of Noelle, because of Ava." He was becoming agitated now.

She nodded. "You're probably right, Matt. If it hadn't been for that…circumstance…maybe we would have stayed together. But things happened the way they happened. Noelle exists, and so does Ava. You should be focusing your energy on making a life with the family that you have. I'll bet it's a beautiful family."

Matt was trying to explain everything to her, but her voice was so calm and reasonable, and she kept moving the conversation away from what _he_ wanted to talk about. It was making him fucking nuts!

"Dani, you need to listen to what I'm trying to tell you. I don't _love _Noelle. Do you want to know _why_ she decided after only a year of marriage that we weren't going to make it? It's because she knows I'm still in love with _you_. And do you want to know _how_ she knows that? Because I...I called her 'Dani' while I was making love to her. How do you think she reacted to that?" He hadn't wanted to tell her that, _but_ _now she'd have to understand_.

It was unfortunate for Matt that he hadn't realized that there were others within hearing distance of their conversation, because if he had, it's unlikely that he would ever have made such an admission.

As it was, while Dani's face showed only shock at hearing Matt's confession of conjugal confusion, Jeanette and Juliette, hiding out in the kitchen and listening to every word, had to cover their mouths to keep from laughing out loud.

Dani wasn't sure where to take the conversation at that point, and Matt appeared to be getting more and more frustrated.

"Look Dani. I know some time has passed, but we were together for a long time and it wasn't just a…a fling. We were in love."

She nodded her head. "We dated for several months, and I agree, it was serious."

His turned away from her slightly then, and his boyish face looked contrite. "Look, I know what I did to you was really shitty. Not that I cheated on you," he was quick to defend himself. "You'd broken it off with me when I was with Noelle, I mean, when I got Noelle pregnant."

"That's true, Matt. I never said you cheated on me. Although I might have given a fleeting thought here and there to how quickly you were able to move on. I mean, considering how serious we'd been."

Dani hadn't meant to even bring that up, but she just couldn't seem to help herself. She made every effort to keep the irony out of her voice.

"Dani…"

"Never mind, Matt. You're perfectly correct. You didn't cheat. But nevertheless, the result of your 'moving on' was that Noelle got pregnant and you married her and had a baby. I accepted that a long time ago."

"But I know I must have hurt you, Dani, and I'm sorry about that."

"You did hurt me, Matt. I won't lie. But I understood that you didn't do it deliberately, and I… got over it."

"Yeah," he said, his head snapping up. "I can see how you got over it."

"What does that mean?" She tried hard not to be, but she was immediately defensive.

"Dani…Nico Careles? Do you have any idea what kind of a man he is? What he's done in his life? Scary shit that he can't even talk about. How long have you two been together?"

"Matt, I'm not going to talk about Nico." She sighed. This was getting them nowhere. "Why are you here? What do you want?"

"Why the hell do you think I'm here? I want you back in my life. We can have it all now, Dani. You've always been the woman that I wanted, ever since that first night I met you, but things kept getting in the way. But now there's nothing in the way."

"Matt, we have separate lives now. We can't go back in time."

"Yes…yes we can. We spent all those months together and I know you wanted to be with me just as much as I wanted to be with you. We _can_ go back. Look…I know you didn't want to have any more kids, and see, now you wouldn't have to. Because now I've got Ava. And you and I can be together, sometimes with Ava and sometimes with just the two of us. It would work, Dani. I know it would."

Dani sat there for a minute, not quite believing what she was hearing, trying to maintain control of both the conversation and her temper. She wasn't sure she was going to be able to succeed with either.

"So…let me get this straight, Matt. You wanted me, in fact you were actually at the point of proposing, I believe…"

He nodded.

"But we both agreed it wouldn't work because I didn't want to have any more kids."

He nodded again, and she continued.

"But now that Noelle has very graciously provided you with a child, I can slide back into your life as both the woman of your dreams and a part-time Mommy. Have I got that about right?" Dani's voice was rising as she made a valiant effort to calm down before she completely blew her stack. That would not be helpful.

"I don't know if I'd put it quite like that, Dani."

"Maybe you wouldn't, but that sure as hell sounds like a good description of your plan to me!" She was both amazed and appalled by his arrogance.

"Dani, I just want us to be together, however we can, because I know it's what both of us really want. Whatever crazy rebound relationship you've gotten yourself into, you don't have to be afraid. You can move to Boston and you won't have to deal with…Nico. If you left New York, I don't think he'd bother to harass you just over some fling."

Dani sat there in a state of absolute stupefaction. She didn't know which of Matt's absurd assertions to address first. In the beginning, she'd hoped to just focus on getting him to try again with Noelle, but she knew now that she was going to have to set him straight about everything.

She took a deep breath.

"Look, Matt, let me cut to the chase, just so we're absolutely clear. I don't love you and I will never be involved with you again."

"Dani, you don't mean that."

She shook her head, amazed that he was unable to see anyone's point of view but his own. Maybe Matt and Gabrielle Pittman could start a 12-step program for people who like to create their own reality.

"Yes, Matt, I do mean it. I mean it with every fiber of my being." She put everything she had into making him see that she was sincere.

But when he started to protest again, she knew she hadn't succeeded, and she was getting frustrated. She'd tried tactful, she'd tried direct, and now she was going to have to be a little cruel in order to make him understand.

"You know, I thought about sending you a thank-you note a few months back. Or maybe I should have sent it to Noelle."

Matt's puzzlement showed in his face.

"Yep. I wanted to thank _you _for getting her pregnant and to thank _her_ for getting pregnant, because you both saved me from making what would have been the biggest mistake of my life."

Dani's voice had risen again, and again she stopped to calm herself. She really needed to take up yoga, she thought, have a mantra or something to recite to herself in moments like this.

"Dani, that's just your anger talking. I know how hurt you must have been."

Wow! This was going to be even more difficult that she'd thought.

She tried again, more softly this time.

"Matt, I don't love you. I did love you, but it was not a great love, not a love-of-your-life kind of emotion, and it just…faded away. You need to accept that."

"_Why_ should I accept it? How do you know it wasn't a great love? It was a great love for me!"

"No, it wasn't, because if it had been, you would never have been able to move on as quickly as you did every time we broke up. You would never have been able to date all those other women, Matt, including Noelle, if you'd felt that way about me. I understand that now."

"Oh, I see, and that's because you're now an expert on - what? The 'love of a lifetime' thing?"

She knew he was mocking her, but she had to answer him honestly. "Yeah, Matt," she said softly. "I do know about the kind of emotion that comes with the absolute certainty that you've found the love of your life. Because I have that now. That so-called fling that you think that I'm having with Nico…it's not a fling, it's nothing_ like_ a fling."

She closed her eyes for a split second, and when she opened them, she looked at Matt directly, took a quick breath, and spoke softly but deliberately. She hadn't intended to explain her relationship with Nico to Matt, but she realized that he needed to know. Or else he would never stop trying.

"I love him, Matt. I love him in a way that I never even knew existed. And he feels the same."

She stopped. Maybe that simple statement would be enough.

His face was blank for a moment, and then it twisted unpleasantly, so that he suddenly didn't look quite so boyish.

"Careles didn't take long to move in on you, did he? I knew he wanted you back when you and I were having problems. Did you manage to waive your 'no-dating-colleagues' policy for him? And he's a liar, too. Because I asked him about it, about you, and every single time, he told me that there was nothing going on between the two of you. Were you both trying to make a fool out of me?" His voice had become more and more hostile.

But Dani had picked up on something in that little speech that set her teeth on edge.

"Wait a minute! When we were all working for the Hawks, you actually asked Nico if he and I were involved? God damn it, Matt, what right did you have to pry into my personal life?"

"What right? _What right?_ You were _my _girl, Dani!"

"I haven't been a girl in years, Matt, and I certainly have never belonged to you or anyone else! And he wasn't lying. There was nothing going on between Nico and me…then."

She stopped. She'd forgotten, and she wanted to be perfectly clear, perfectly honest.

"Except for a kiss. One kiss." She didn't think he needed a description of the intensity of that one kiss. "And it was more than a year before I got another one."

"More than a year? Then…how long exactly has this great love affair been going on? Except for TK, no one in New York seems to know anything about it." He knew as soon as the words were out of his mouth that he should never have admitted to her that he'd tried to pry into her life – again.

Dani's tone was somewhere between angry and disappointed. "You asked other people about my personal life? You talked to TK about me? Who are you, anyway? I thought I knew you, Matt, but the person I'm looking at now is _nothing_ like the Matt Donnally that I used to know."

She'd had enough. She sat up straight and squared her shoulders.

"Matt, you wanted to talk to me, and we've talked. I've listened to everything you had to say, and I believe that you're aware of how I feel. I think maybe it's time for you to leave."

"You're throwing me out, Dani?" He couldn't seem to believe that things hadn't gone as he'd planned.

"Yes, Matt." She sighed softly. "I think you understand now that things can never go back to the way they were between us. I know that you think you're still in love with me, but maybe you've just been holding onto some idealized version of me as, I don't know, 'the one that got away.'"

He seemed to shrink into himself.

"I think you should try again, Matt. With Noelle, I mean. Try to make it work."

She looked him in the eye.

"Because it isn't happening with me. Not now, not ever."

"OK, Dani. Just tell me one thing. This…thing with you and Careles – how long have you been…together?"

"It doesn't matter, Matt."

"Just…I'd like to know."

"OK. I'll tell you this much. Circumstances kept us apart, so we've only just started to come to terms with how we feel about each other."

She paused, not sure how to really explain.

"But it's been a long time coming, Matt. We just never did anything about it. But the feelings, they've been there for a long time."

Matt nodded. He got up then and put on his coat, and Dani followed him to the door.

"Can I see you again before I leave Barcelona, Dani?"

"What would be the point?"

"I'm not sure." He paused at the doorway. "You don't hate me, do you?"

"Of course not, Matt. I could never hate you."

She looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry, Matt, I really am. About everything. And I'm sorry that you're marriage hasn't worked out, but maybe you still have time to fix that."

He nodded, but persisted. "You didn't answer me, Dani. Can I come back – even if it's only to say goodbye?"

She gave his request a great deal of thought. "You can come back if you want, but if you do, you won't be talking just to me."

He nodded his understanding, gave her a sad smile, and walked out the door.

Dani sat down on the nearest seat, drained. It had been awful, she'd had to be cruel, and she felt like crap.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Matt Donnally left Jeanette's in his rental car, he never noticed another car parked across the street. It was a luxury car, with a uniformed driver, and the lone passenger sitting in the back seat had been very interested to see him there.

Gabrielle Pittman had decided against using a taxi for this part of her…mission. It would be simpler, as well as less costly, to hire a car and driver for however long she would need them. As it turned out, she was happy that she had chosen to use the more anonymous hire-car. A taxi sitting so long across from a private home might have drawn some unwanted attention.

Because the car had been sitting there for a long time now. And although her initial purpose for making the trip had not been achieved, she did not consider it time wasted.

As soon as she'd had the legal document in hand, Gabrielle hadn't wanted to wait another minute, and she'd asked the concierge to hire the car for her. As soon as it had arrived, she'd given the driver directions and was practically vibrating with purpose as the car sped towards its destination.

But when she'd gotten to the house, Nico had just been leaving with two other men. One she thought was probably Augusto himself; she recognized him from pictures on the wall of his restaurant. The other – she was surprised to see that it was that boy who lived with Juliette. Ron Jon. No Ray Jay. Ray Jay Santino.

Did that mean that Juliette was here, too? That thought was enough to give her pause, but not for long. No, he was probably visiting with his mother and her friend. It was doubtful that Juliette was here. After all, she only rented him a room in her flat. There would be no reason for them to be traveling together.

And if Juliette, by chance, were here? She shrugged. It would be unfortunate, but she had to see this through, regardless.

She'd sat there in her hire-car waiting to see if Nico would return. She'd been waiting nearly an hour, and was about to give up, when someone else drove up to the house. When she saw who it was, she was astonished.

Matt Donnally. She was sure it was him. Gabrielle had an eye for men, and she certainly wouldn't forget a fine specimen like Matt Donnally. She remembered now that there had been some talk at the Hawks about Matt and…Dani Santino! Oh, this was an interesting development, and she wondered how she could use it to her advantage. Did Nico know that his paramour's former lover was meeting with her while he was out?

She decided to wait and see how long Donnally remained in the house. It was more than a half hour, but less than an hour. Not enough time for a tryst, she thought, but plenty of time for making plans for one. And she knew it had to be that. Otherwise, why the hell would Donnally even be here?

She finally decided that today was a washout as far as furthering her plans. She would come back tomorrow, and, if she had to, the next day, and the next, until she accomplished her…mission.

XXXXXXXXXX

While Dani had been talking to Matt in her living room, Jeanette had spent the time in the kitchen, getting to know Juliette a little better. They'd kept their voices low, but after Matt had made his embarrassing admission, and they'd both had to stop themselves from laughing out loud, they'd mutually decided to move from the table to the far end of the large room, where they would be able to talk without fear of alerting Matt to their presence.

Ray Jay and Juliette had known nothing about Matt's being in Barcelona until they'd gotten to Jeanette's for brunch, but of course they both knew Matt. Ray Jay had quickly explained to her Matt's previous importance in his mother's life.

She'd thought about her time at the Hawks, then, and a few things that had seemed odd at the time now made a lot more sense.

"Jeanette, did Dani ever tell you about my attempt to run the Hawks?"

Jeanette was kind, and she tried to hide her smile, but Juliette could see that she'd heard all about it.

She laughed. "I was the world's crappiest pro football owner. I did everything wrong, including some things that could have got the team in a lot of trouble. Nico and Matt finally ganged up on me and forced me to sell the team."

She shook her head at the memory. "It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me, but at the time, well, I was pretty pissed off. But not too pissed off to notice that even though they were working together, Nico and Matt had this real negative vibe going on. It was almost like they couldn't stand to be in the same room. I asked Nico about it, and of course he just gave me one of his looks and didn't answer me.

"But I think I finally figured out why there was no love lost between them…and her name is Dani Santino."

Juliette raised her eyebrows, asking for confirmation, and Jeanette nodded her head in agreement.

XXXXXXXXXX

The shopping trip had been fun, even though very little had been bought. Dani decided to come back later on in the week with Lindsay. Jeanette had gotten a baby sitter, and was just thrilled to be out of the house and away from the Mommy zone for a while.

Ray Jay had called to tell them that Nico was insisting on taking everyone out for dinner, saying that Gusto should eat somebody else's cooking for a change.

Jeanette had laughed at that. "Gusto just wants to check out the competition!"

At 7 p.m., they were pulling into the parking lot of a very elegant looking restaurant, and hoping that the men had found something else to do for the past five hours besides drink. When they found them sitting in the lounge, Juliette noticed immediately that Ray Jay was looking a little glassy-eyed.

"Do you have a buzz on, Santino?" she laughed.

"Hey, I've spent a lot of time and effort being educated on the finer points of Scotch whiskey – single malt, blended malt, et cetera, et cetera. Did you know that Scotch has to be aged in oak barrels for a minimum of three years?"

He spouted his new-found knowledge like a connoisseur.

"And was this teaching moment accompanied by a bit of sampling, perhaps?"

"Well, how else would I be able to tell the difference between all those brands?" He was indignant.

"Way to go, Butterscotch!" Juliette couldn't stop laughing.

Ray Jay's eyes narrowed and his Scotch-scented breath wafted across Juliette as he closed in on her until his nose was mere inches from hers.

"I don't think you should call me that anymore, Jules."

"Why not?" He was very close to her now, and suddenly she could hardly breathe.

"Because. Just because." Damn Scotch had made him a little tipsy, and he couldn't quite explain to her why she should stop with the juvenile nickname. He turned away, feeling like an idiot. He'd have to come up with the reason later.

Dani watched this byplay with interest. Shaking her head, she wondered how long Ray Jay and Juliette were going to be doing this little dance. But for now, she had other complaints to make.

"Nico Careles, did you get my son drunk?"

Nico's smirk was in evidence. "Somebody has to teach him about the finer things in life."

"Uh huh."

He wanted desperately to ask her about her conversation with Matt, but it seemed too personal to bring up here, at this moment. And besides, he thought with a pang, he wasn't sure if it was any of his business.

But he had to touch her. He hadn't seen her in five hours, and he'd almost gone crazy trying to distract himself from thoughts of her. He reached over quickly and gave her a soft kiss.

She ran her hand over his cheek. "Hmm, a little bristly there, Careles," she said with a smile.

He smiled ruefully and ran his hand over his face. "I guess maybe I need a shave."

"If you're thinking about putting_ that_ face next to_ this_ face any time soon, I'd say there's no 'maybe' about it.

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico Careles had always had a heavy beard, even in his youth. He'd had to shave every day from the age of 16, because his mother would never have let him get away with stubble. He'd gotten a little lax about it in college, but the Navy had driven that out of him. In the military, daily shaving had been expected, even when he was deployed, unless he was on an actual operation. It was just how things were done.

After he left the Navy, he'd worked for some alphabet soup government agencies, and they were a bit more lenient about the beard thing, but the pay was just so-so. So when he'd been approached by a multinational private security company, and offered a position at five times what he was making with the government, he'd made the switch, after more than fifteen years, to the private sector. They had expected meticulous grooming in their employees.

He'd signed a two-year contract, and after only a few months, he knew that he wouldn't be signing on for another two years. He'd had to do some…unsavory…things when he was in the military, and later on with the government agencies, but he was used to having_ some_ rules and _some _guidelines, even if they were often bent or outright broken.

But he found that the private security company's moral compass was even more ambiguous than his own, and he knew he'd never last. He decided to start his own, smaller, security firm. He was lucky. He was able to hand-pick his employees from among his many acquaintances in the security field, and he only picked people that he trusted.

As it turned out, Marshall Pittman was looking for security for his newly-acquired football team, and it was a match made in heaven. He earned twice as much, and he was able to do things _his_ way.

And since he was the boss, he could shave as often – or as seldom – as he wanted. Marshall Pittman cared about security; he didn't care about facial hair.

Unfortunately, V3 had been a little more uptown, and he'd been wedded to his razor once again.

Nico thought about all this as he stood in the bathroom much later that evening, shaving off three day's growth. He knew that with Dani in his life, he really should try to shave more often. The last thing he wanted to do was to hurt her soft, delicate skin. He had other things planned for that skin tonight.

As he rinsed off his razor and put it back into his kit, his eyes fell on the small blue box that he'd put there for safekeeping, and he considered its significance.

His mother had slipped the box into the inside pocket of his leather jacket while she was hugging him good-bye on her doorstep the week before.

"You're going to need this, Nico," she'd said. "Don't forget it's in there."

But he had forgotten, until the night they'd gone to the Eiffel Tower, when he'd worn the leather jacket again and suddenly felt its bulk.

He knew what was in the box, of course. He'd seen it many times over the years. He picked the box up now, but he didn't open it. Hadn't opened it, in fact, since it had come into his possession.

He sighed and stowed it safely back in his shaving kit. He put out the bathroom light and returned to the one place he wanted to be more than anywhere else on earth. In his bed, with Dani Santino in his arms, his now soft cheek against her own.


	16. Chapter 16: Secrets

Chapter 16: Secrets

By the time Lindsay Santino stepped through the doorway leading from Passport Control into the international arrivals area at El Prat Airport in Barcelona, she was completely exhausted. She'd traveled before, but never on her own, and although she was a very competent girl, she'd had to navigate each unfamiliar step alone, and it had been tiring. And she'd been way too nervous to get much sleep on the plane.

She'd been expecting her mother, or maybe Jeanette, but it was _him_ she saw waiting for her. Nico. Her mother's new boyfriend. Or whatever.

"You," she said as she reached his side.

"Me," he agreed with a nod. "Do you have any checked baggage?"

"Nope. I didn't wanna have to wait for it at this end."

"Smart girl." Maybe she didn't have Dani's shoe obsession.

Lindsay was reluctant to surrender her carry-on bag to Nico, but she'd stuffed it to the brim and it was pretty heavy, so even dragging it behind had been tough after a while.

They reached the car and she watched as he stowed her suitcase in the trunk and opened the passenger door. So far, he hadn't said much, and she was happy not to have to respond to any conversation.

"Ray Jay seems to think you're a pretty cool guy." She looked at him with narrowed eyes as she got into the car.

Nico noted with some amusement that Dani had obviously passed on her 'squint' to both of her kids.

She continued. "But then again he's living with Juliette Pittman, so what does that say about his judgment?"

Nico pulled out of the parking lot, and onto the winding access roads that led away from the airport.

"I think that your brother and I have reached a sort of…understanding." He glanced at her with a half-smile.

It was the first smile of any type that she'd ever seen on his face.

His head turned back toward the road. "But of course you get to make up your own mind."

Lindsay was so tired that the hum of the car motor sounded like a lullaby. She didn't want to fall asleep, so she decided to ask her question.

"How come you're picking me up? I thought Mom would come, or maybe Jeanette."

"Jeanette's pretty busy with the baby, Lindsay, and your Mom isn't familiar with Barcelona. I am."

It was a simple and straightforward answer. But that was the one thing that she remembered very well about Nico Careles. No wordy responses. No detailed explanations. No bullshit.

She glanced at him again as he expertly guided the car through heavy city traffic without so much as a flicker of annoyance. Maybe she should give him a chance. It had been 15 minutes now, and he hadn't done anything yet to piss her off. And on the heels of that thought, despite her best intentions, her eyes drooped closed and she fell asleep

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico glanced at the sleeping girl beside him and saw how much she resembled her mother. Unlike Ray Jay, Lindsay had never had occasion to hang around at the Hawks facility, so except for the time he'd caught both Santino kids selling Hawks memorabilia illegally, he'd only run into her those few times that he'd been at Dani's house and she happened to be around. He sighed. Not very many times at all.

He knew she was smart. In two years, she'd done a 180 on her abysmal grades, and somehow managed to get into Columbia. He'd never asked Dani how she was going to swing that, but maybe he should.

No. He changed his mind, shook his head at his own thoughts. He couldn't do that just yet. He wanted to help her in any way he could, including financially, but they hadn't yet got to that point, and he knew she'd resent his asking.

Nico yawned. He hadn't minded picking up Lindsay. It had made the most sense for the very reasons he'd given her. And he'd been up anyway. But he hadn't slept very well last night, even for him, and he was tired.

It had been a tough couple of days.

It had taken all his years of training to maintain his composure when they'd walked into Jeanette's on Sunday night and found Donnally there. Because underneath that outward calm, he was in turmoil, and later he'd had to walk for hours before he could be sure he'd regained his self-control.

After Donnally called yesterday and Dani had agreed to see him, leaving her alone to cope with whatever game Donnally was playing was one of the hardest things Nico had ever had to do. He'd meant it when he'd told Dani that it was her call. But that didn't mean he had to like it.

Not that he wasn't absolutely sure that she was more than capable of handling a fucking idiot like Matt Donnally.

She hadn't said much about their conversation, except that he, Nico, had been right. Donnally had thought he and Dani could pick up where they'd left off a year ago, but she'd explained – in several different ways, apparently – that that wasn't going to happen.

But she'd also said that Donnally had asked to come back and see her again before he left Barcelona. That's the part that had set Nico's teeth on edge. Despite Dani's assurances, it sounded like this asshole wasn't going to be able to take 'no' for an answer.

At least she'd agreed with him that if Donnally did show up again, they would see him together. Nico's forbearance had reached its limits.

And now here was Lindsay to think about. It was important to Nico to be able to connect on some level with Dani's kids. He knew they were the most important people in her life. Hell, her well-developed maternalism was one of her most attractive qualities.

He felt he'd been able to make a connection with Ray Jay, who'd grown up a surprising amount since he'd last seen him in New York. He chuckled a little to himself, remembering how he'd tutored Ray Jay on the qualities and merits of Scotch whiskey. His smile broadened as he also recalled Juliette's reaction to the sight of her best friend in a state of near-intoxication.

You just never knew. He would have wagered that Ray Jay and Juliette as best friends, or in any close relationship, would have constituted a train wreck. But surprisingly, they seemed to be good for each other. Ray Jay had actually turned out to be pretty grounded, and Nico attributed that 100% to Dani's influence and 0% to the jackass she used to be married to. He thought Ray Jay probably gave Juliette a good reality check just when she needed it most.

He looked again at the sleeping girl. He knew she was probably going to be a tougher nut to crack. She was a girl, first of all, and it had already been established that he knew fuck-all about women. But somehow, although his exposure to her had been limited, he was pretty sure he knew of one way in which he and Lindsay were a lot alike. He'd bet anything that she had little tolerance for bullshit.

He sighed. If only he weren't feeling just slightly off balance, just a little out of sync. Last week it had been Gabrielle, now this week Donnally had shown up. He wondered what other indiscretions from all of Dani's and his years on this earth were going to rear up and bite them in the ass.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ray Jay Santino's head was pounding. He was sure that someone had opened up his skull during the night and deposited a mini-jackhammer that was now doing a helluva job breaking up what was left of his brain into tiny little pieces.

Ray Jay had never been much of a drinker. Like all teenage boys, he'd had his share of beer, and Paris had taught him to appreciate good wine. He'd even occasionally indulged in something stronger. But getting drunk had never appealed to him much. He would rather enjoy his life in a state of relative awareness.

He wished now that he had kept to his usual limit the day before. But he'd been a little messed up by whatever was going on with his mother and Matt Donnally. And, if he was really being honest with himself, by what was going on with him and Juliette. If anything was. He just fucking wasn't sure.

He moaned and stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom to drink about a gallon of water, and then went looking for something to relieve the pounding in his head.

"Hey, Jules?" His voice was hoarse, and didn't even sound like him. "Do you have any aspirin?"

No answer. He looked at the clock. It was almost noon, and Juliette didn't seem to be in the suite. He found some Tylenol in his shaving kit, left over from long ago, and took a couple. He decided to take a shower and was just about to step under the water when he turned back and locked the bathroom door. Not that Juliette would walk in on him again. Hell, he knew that yesterday had just been an accident. But he wasn't taking any chances. He figured he probably wouldn't be so lucky a second time.

XXXXXXXXXX

While Ray Jay was sleeping off the effects of one too many Scotches, Juliette was gathering the components for a picnic lunch from a local deli. Not that she expected anyone to eat outside at this time of year. She just wanted it to be portable, because she'd already called Dani and told her that she and Ray Jay were bringing lunch. She'd been fed now by Jeanette and by Nico, and she wanted to reciprocate.

And Juliette wanted to meet Lindsay. In fact, she was surprised by how _much_ she wanted to meet Lindsay. And she was a little nervous about it. Why the hell _was _that? She continued to pick out food and drink, and to distract herself with thoughts about the past few days, rather than trying to answer that question.

It had amazed Juliette how much she was enjoying this family-type vacation. She'd never experienced anything like it before. From the time she could remember, it seemed to her that her parents had barely been able to stand one another, so vacationing with them would not have been a pleasure. And she had no siblings, or any cousins that she knew of, and she had never heard any of her friends describe a vacation in which they enjoyed the company of their parents.

This was a new experience and she liked it.

XXXXXXXXXX

It was after 2 o'clock by the time Ray Jay and Juliette arrived at Jeanette's with lunch.

When Ray Jay had found out what Juliette was up to, he'd suggested that they also buy paper plates and cups to minimize the cleaning up. Juliette knew she would never have thought of that. Growing up, she'd never had to do dishes or any other household chores. When she entertained now, she did it in a restaurant.

Ray Jay had laughed at her affectionately when she'd told him what a good idea the paper plates were.

"Jules, sometimes it's like you're from another planet."

He'd given her a hug, then, and for some reason, that hug had felt so good that neither one of them had been inclined to pull away.

Ray Jay had finally cleared his throat and reminded her of the time, but they'd still been a little late.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Nico had arrived from the airport with a very sleepy Lindsay, Dani had decided that a short nap would do her no harm.

"But not too long, Linds, or your sleep cycle will be all screwed up. I'll wake you up for lunch."

But she hadn't had to. Lindsay had set her travel alarm, just to make sure she had time to shower before lunch. If she was going to be forced to meet Juliette Pittman, she was damn sure going to look her best. But when they arrived, and she heard her brother's voice from the kitchen, all thought of playing the sophisticate flew out the window.

Lindsay literally ran to the door and launched herself at Ray Jay, who laughed and hugged her tightly. She looked him over critically.

"Looking pretty good, Ray Jay," she grinned at him. "Not dissipated, or fat, and you haven't lost your hair."

"Linds, I'm going to be 20 this year, not 50." But he laughed and gave her another hug. "You're looking pretty good yourself. I've missed you. Nobody busts my chops like you do. Juliette tries, but she doesn't even come close."

Lindsay had decided to give Juliette Pittman the benefit of the doubt. Her mother had said that Juliette was a good person, and she trusted her mother's judgment. But her mother had also said that Ray Jay and Juliette were just good friends, and almost immediately after Ray Jay introduced them a few seconds later, Lindsay thought that for once her mother might be wrong.

Like Dani, Lindsay was able to read people fairly easily. And what she got from Juliette was that she was…nervous. She knew it wasn't possible, there was just no way, but it really seemed as though Juliette Pittman, multi-millionaire owner of a Parisian fashion boutique, and former jet-setting party girl, was nervous about meeting Lindsay Santino, high school senior from Long Island.

And suddenly, Lindsay understood everything. Her own nervousness disappeared. She gave her brother a knowing look, took pity on the sophisticated Miss Pittman, and gave her a friendly smile.

"What did you bring us to eat?" she asked. "I'm starved. They hardly give you anything at all to eat on airplanes any more, and when I got here, I was too tired to eat."

Dani caught it all and thought that her daughter was becoming far more perceptive than she had realized. She and Lindsay exchanged a smile, and she knew that they were in accord in their opinion about her son and his best friend.

The indoor picnic lunch was a success. A grateful Jeanette had spread the food and drink out on the kitchen table, and the picnickers had helped themselves and were scattered randomly around the vast living room. It was cold outside, and Gusto had lit a fire in the immense fireplace to keep the chill out of the room. The house was, after all, centuries old.

Lindsay could see how happy her mother was in Nico's company. She supposed that she should be asking some questions, finding out when and how their relationship had all come about. But she was jet-lagged, and hungry, and decided she could talk to her mother later. The food was delicious, everyone was talking at once, and the whole thing had somehow taken on a party atmosphere. She was amazed.

Juliette couldn't remember the last time she'd been with such a relaxed group of people. There was no champagne, no _pate_, no food or drink that could remotely be called sophisticated, but it seemed to her like the best party ever. She turned suddenly and found Ray Jay eyeing her quizzically. They smiled at each other across the room, and Juliette suddenly felt very, very happy. Like she was exactly where she belonged. It was a new sensation.

Gusto was the first to break up their impromptu picnic, and he did so with reluctance. The restaurant was closed on Sunday, but open on Monday, so he'd already taken one day off, and now he was going to be late. He knew it wasn't fair to his staff; he'd be lucky if they didn't filet him if he didn't show up soon.

"Yesterday, I play hockey!" he said to his bewildered guests. "But today I must go to the restaurant."

Jeanette just laughed. "_Hooky_, Gusto, not _hockey_."

Gusto laughed at himself, and the rest of them smiled, and as he walked toward the front door, he reminded them that he would see them all later at _Casa Augusto_.

They heard the door open and shut, so they looked up, surprised, a moment later when Gusto came back into the room.

"Did you forget…?" his wife had begun her question, but then she stopped suddenly. And one by one they all stopped talking.

Gusto was back, but he wasn't alone.

Lindsay, who hadn't been told anything about yesterday's surprise guest, just gaped when she saw who'd entered the room. What the hell was Matt Donnally doing here?

Matt had thought long and hard about whether he should make a return visit to Jeanette's house. His conversation with Dani the day before had been painful in the extreme, and he didn't want to put himself through that again. And he definitely did _not_ want an interview with Careles. He knew that would be verbal suicide.

But there _was_ something to be gained here. A few hours' perspective on their conversation, coupled with a certain amount of selective memory, had allowed him to estimate how long Dani had been involved with Nico Careles. From everything she'd said, from all the hints that she'd unknowingly dropped, he knew that it couldn't possibly be more than a few weeks. Maybe even less.

And Matt Donnally knew that was not nearly enough time for the love-of-your-life romance that Dani had described. He knew that she was delusional now, and sure to be disillusioned later, when she finally understood what kind of man she was involved with. When that time came, Matt wanted to make sure that Dani remembered their interaction in Barcelona in a positive light.

So to both ingratiate himself with Dani, and avoid a confrontation with Nico, he'd decided to come back and apologize. _Sorry_ for showing up unannounced. _Sorry _for trying to push his way back into her life. _Sorry_ for discussing her personal life with mutual acquaintances.

Sorry, sorry, sorry.

That was the right note to hit, he figured, to position himself to pick up the pieces when the inevitable break-up came. He wasn't sorry at all, of course, but Dani didn't have to know that. He was very good at 'sincere.' And if Careles was skeptical – well, he just didn't give a fuck.

He was a little startled to see them all there as he entered the room. Both of Dani's kids? And… Juliette Pittman? What the hell? But he had little choice, at that point, but to follow through with his plan.

He hadn't been invited to sit, so he was still standing when he began to speak.

"Dani, I just wanted to apologize for…" And that's as far as he got before there was a knock at the front door.

Gusto sighed. He was sure that he was never getting out of his house. He went to the door, only to be confronted by a woman that he had never seen before. A very beautiful woman of the expensive variety, if one could go by the fur coat she had pulled to her throat against the raw coldness of the afternoon.

"I'm looking for Nico Careles. I believe that he's here." She smiled, but the resulting expression was more predatory than pleasant. "I'm Gabrielle Pittman."

Pittman? Surely this was the beautiful Juliette's _mama_. Gusto felt buffeted by emotional winds that he didn't understand, but he could do nothing except show the well-preserved Mrs. Pittman into the living room. He had no idea what her presence would bring to the gathering.

"Mom!" Juliette was startled. "How did you find this house?"

"Juliette. So you are here." Gabrielle had already considered that Juliette might be present.

Nico had risen and moved out into the middle of the room as soon as he saw Gabrielle, almost as if he were the gladiator chosen by his people to defend against the invader.

"Gabrielle," his voice was calm, but Dani could see that his eyes were stormy. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Nico, I must speak with you privately. It's very important." She was focused, and he knew she wouldn't go away until she said her piece.

"We won't be having any more private conversations, Gabrielle. If you have something you need to say, go ahead and say it."

She looked around at all of them gathered there. "Very well, if that's what you want."

Her eyes flickered for just an instant, but it was enough to let Dani know that this was exactly what she wanted. Whatever she had to say, she wanted it said publicly.

Gabrielle opened her purse then, and took out a business-sized enveloped.

"Nico, I hope that you'll find it in your heart to forgive me. I should have told you this long ago, but now I can't keep it from you any longer." Dani could tell that she was making an effort to sound sincere, but she couldn't keep the smugness out of her voice.

"Told me what, Gabrielle?" His tone was impatient.

"I should have told you about…our daughter."

It was purely involuntary, but Nico's eyes flicked for just a fraction of an instant toward Juliette.

And Gabrielle noticed. "No, Nico, not Juliette. I know I let you think for years that she was your daughter, but this is a child that…we had…before I married Marshall."

Juliette gasped and the blood drained from her face. Her mother had let Nico think that she was his daughter? Was that why he'd been so good to her all these years? Not because he loved her, not because she was special to him? Not just because she was Juliette? She'd always suspected that her mother and Nico had had a liaison in the past, but never that any of it involved _her_. Her eyes filled with tears.

Nico closed his eyes, feeling Juliette's pain. He couldn't believe that Gabrielle had just revealed so publicly and so cavalierly what they had both maintained as secret for so many years. To do so in such a way was beyond cruel.

"Juliette." He looked at her and shook his head. "I'm so sorry." Sorry you had to hear that like this, sorry I can't tell you right now how I've always loved you like a daughter and that that will never change, sorry your mother is such a bitch.

Ray Jay moved across the room and wrapped Juliette in his arms as she waited to hear what other terrifying news her mother might impart.

Nico tore his eyes away from Juliette. "What are you playing at, Gabrielle? There was no other child. There _is_ no other child. We were only together for a little over a year before you decided that you preferred Marshall's money, and a good part of that year I was away on my first SEAL mission. "

"Yes, Nico, that's it exactly. I didn't know where you were or if you were even coming back, and it couldn't come out that I was…pregnant. My mother would have died."

Nico remembered Mrs. Sinclair, now deceased, as a grasping social climber who saw her beautiful daughter as a way into the "right" circles. She bled her divorced husband dry to send Gabrielle to the "right" schools. She had not been impressed with Nico.

"So we came here," Gabrielle continued.

"Here? To Barcelona?"

"Yes – a little suburb called Terragona."

"You said 'we.' You and your mother?"

"Uh, no. I came with my friend, Celia Howard. In fact, it was Celia's mother who arranged it all. She had a friend here, Mrs. Salazar, and we stayed with her until I…uh…had the baby."

"So maybe you came to Barcelona, but I don't see any evidence of a baby."

She handed him the envelope, and he opened it up. It contained a birth certificate.

_Name of Child: Louise Sinclair_

_Date of Birth: September 27, 1988_

_Name of Mother: Gabrielle Sinclair_

_Mother's Date of Birth: July 16, 1967. _Gabrielle's date of birth.

_Mother's permanent address: New York, New York. _Where Gabrielle had lived.

_Name of Father: Unnamed_

The birth certificate looked to be legitimate. It had an official-looking seal: _Ciudad de Barcelona_

Nico looked away, but his eyes were haunted. Could this have actually happened? Could there really be a young woman out there with his DNA?

"You've not named the father. Who's to say she was mine?" He said it harshly.

"Don't you remember the Christmas before, Nico? You were near the end of your SEAL training, and had leave, and we spent every minute of it together. Of course…she was yours."

He did remember that Christmas, and how consumed he'd been with Gabrielle. When he looked at her again, his eyes were hard. "And where is this child that you say you had, that you say is mine?"

"I…I had to give her up for adoption, Nico. I didn't know if you were ever coming home and I couldn't keep her. But…don't you see? Now we have a second chance. We can find her and meet her and let her know who her real parents are." Her eyes begged him to agree with her.

There was absolute silence in the room. The only sound that could be heard was the crackling of the wood in the fireplace.

"And this Mrs. Salazar? She's still alive?" Nico asked.

"Oh, yes. I checked that out first thing."

Nico looked at Dani, whose face was a mixture of sympathy and fear. He looked at Juliette, whose distress was evident. She was looking at her mother with a blend of disbelief and loathing.

But he understood himself too well. He couldn't just let this go. He had to know. _He had to know._

"I'll keep this document. It's too late today, but I'll call you tomorrow and you will take me to see Mrs. Salazar, and I'll see what she has to say. Now I think you should leave, Gabrielle. You were not invited here."

"Of course, Nico. I'll wait for your call." She practically purred.

Gusto saw her to the door, and she hid her satisfied smile from him as she stepped out into the cold.

All things considered, she thought, it couldn't have gone better.


	17. Chapter 17: Aftermath

Chapter 17: Aftermath

The room was deathly quiet when Gusto returned from seeing the Pittman woman to the door. It seemed to him that no one had moved a muscle. He glanced at his wife, his face asking a question, and she shook her head.

"Go ahead, Gusto," Jeanette said softly. "There's nothing you can do here."

She heard Sergio then, waking up from his afternoon nap. She looked apologetically at Dani, who nodded her understanding.

Their host and hostess gone, the guests were left on their own to deal with the aftermath of the bombshell dropped by Gabrielle Pittman. Dani got up from her chair and lightly touched Nico's arm, but he pulled away automatically.

"Dani, I'm sorry." He looked down at her, immediately apologetic. But the guarded look was back in his eyes.

Nico glanced at Juliette, and then at Ray Jay, and nodded to himself. He knew she was in good hands. He looked at the paper still in his hand as if he wasn't sure what it was, and then placed it unconsciously in the inside pocket of his jacket. He sighed to himself and looked down again at Dani, and for once in his life, he wasn't sure what to do next.

"You're in shock, Nico. There were no bullets flying or bombs exploding, but this is another kind of shock. We should talk about it." She spoke to him softly.

"I just can't, Dani. Not right now. I'm sorry." He sighed again and shook his head. "I need to make some phone calls," he finally decided. "And I need to think. Will you be OK if I go out for a while?"

"Yes, of course. Do what you have to do."

He squeezed her hand. "Thank you."

Juliette hadn't moved. Ray Jay still had his arms around her, and it was as if she couldn't hold herself up, that it was only his arms that were keeping her from collapsing. Nico looked down at her and stopped briefly on his way out of the room.

"We'll talk later, Juliette. I expect you'll have a lot of questions." He touched her hair softly.

She nodded, but her eyes were bleak and she barely looked at him. She was still trying to take it all in. Right now, she just had to get out of there.

"Ray Jay," she tried to speak, but her throat felt dry and her voice cracked. She cleared it to try again.

"Ray Jay," just loud enough for him to hear. "I need to leave."

He nodded and looked at his mother. He felt like they were all abandoning her, but then he remembered Lindsay, sitting beside him. "Linds, I'm going to take Juliette back to the hotel. I'll call you later. Can you deal with…you know…Mom?" He said it softly.

Poor Lindsay. She was jet-lagged, and confused, and only 18, and she suddenly felt overwhelmed. But she nodded her head at her brother. She'd make sure their Mom was OK.

"Mom," he said, trying to get Dani's attention. She was sitting again in the wing chair, looking like she'd been hit by a train. "Juliette and I are going to take off." His eyes asked for understanding.

And then Dani looked at her son and remembered that poor Juliette must be devastated by what she'd just heard.

"Oh, God, Juliette." Dani went over to the girl and pulled her into a hug. "It'll be OK. Give it some time to sink in." Juliette barely nodded.

She hugged her son then, too. "Try to get her to talk," was her advice.

As they left, she heard another voice, and it came from the man still standing near the fireplace at one end of the room.

"Dani, is there anything I can do?"

Dani's head whipped around. She had completely forgotten that Matt had been there to witness it all when Gabrielle burst in and turned all their lives upside town.

Inwardly, she groaned.

If there was one thing that she had always known, and on which her opinion had not changed even as they became more intimate, it was that Nico Careles was an extremely private man. And now, all of Nico's private business, the fact that he'd been involved with Gabrielle, that she'd let him believe that Juliette was his for so many years, and now, this new piece of personal information – all of it had been revealed in the presence of Matt Donnally. If Nico hadn't remembered that already, he soon would, and she knew that he would find that knowledge to be excruciating.

"I'd really like to help if I can, Dani." Matt was still talking.

"Matt, I'm not sure why you came here today, but as you can probably understand, it's not a good time." She tried not to be unpleasant, but she was barely holding it together.

"OK, Dani. I'll still be in Barcelona for a couple more days. I'll call you to make sure you're OK."

"You don't need to do that, Matt. I'm fine. This is a very… private matter. I hope you'll respect that."

"Of course." Blab Careles's business around town? Not likely, not if he wanted to keep all his body parts. Besides, he wouldn't have to _do_ anything. Just the fact that this had all come out…well, he was sure that the facts alone were going to blow Dani's relationship with Careles sky high.

All he'd have to do is wait.

"I'll go now, Dani. But I _will_ give you a call in a couple of days." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it before she could stop him and then walked out the door.

Matt Donnally left Jeanette's house a much happier man than he'd entered it. He'd thought he was going to have to eat some crow, but it hadn't turned out that way. And where he'd had _some_ hope of winning Dani back eventually, he now had reason to think that it would happen very soon, maybe even this week.

So he wasn't leaving Barcelona quite yet - not when he could stick around and watch the fallout.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani tried not to be concerned when Nico still hadn't returned after several hours. She knew very well that there were few individuals more capable of taking care of themselves than Nico Careles. She had tried to call him, but every call had gone to voice mail. He'd said he'd be making some calls, she remembered, so maybe that's why he wasn't answering.

So she reasoned, and she sympathized, and she understood, but none of it kept the worry away.

At least she had had plenty of time to fill Lindsay in on everything. Under the circumstances, it was impossible to tell her only part of the story. The only thing she did keep to herself was Nico's part in an FBI undercover operation. Even she wasn't supposed to know about that, and she understood that there could be repercussions for Nico if the Bureau found out that he'd told her.

She wasn't surprised to find that explaining to Lindsay about her relationship with Nico was a little more complicated than explaining it to Ray Jay. Lindsay was a woman, and she had questions. Questions about Dani's feelings and questions about why Dani hadn't said anything to her about any of it, even though they'd been living in the same house.

Dani decided Lindsay was old enough for honest answers.

"I was scared, Linds. He scared me, because my feelings for him were so…intense."

Lindsay thought about it a minute. "More than with Dad? Than with Matt?"

"Oh, yeah. The others - not even close."

"Oh, wow, Mom." She was struggling to understand, but this was, after all, her mother, and she was just a little uncomfortable. "So you were afraid to get involved with Nico because…because…you felt…too much?"

Dani nodded. "Yes, exactly. I wanted him, and he wanted me, but there were…a lot of things that kept us apart for a long time. And one of those things was my fear. And then I suddenly decided that it was stupid to be afraid of something so…wonderful. And when I finally decided to…give in to what I felt, it just all happened really fast."

She smiled at Lindsay and tried to make her understand. "We've know each other for almost 3 years, Linds, and we didn't need dinner dates and walks in the park to build a relationship. Because of how our jobs always seemed to interconnect, we've spent way more time together than we ever would have if we'd met some other way and were just dating in a conventional way. We got to be really good friends, and we knew each other very well long before other feelings…surfaced. So when we got together, and that happened only a few days before we left on this trip, it was immediately a serious relationship. Do you understand?"

Lindsay nodded. "I think I do."

"And I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my change of plans. You were at your Dad's and I didn't want to try to explain on the telephone, so I decided to wait until we got back."

She tried to smile then. "But things don't always go as planned."

Lindsay was reluctant to ask the next question, but like Dani, she always needed to know everything. "And that stuff about Juliette? Did you know about that?"

"I did, Lindsay. But I'll ask you not to mention it, unless Nico or Juliette brings it up. It was a cruel thing that Gabrielle Pittman did, deceiving Nico for so many years, and an even crueler thing to just reveal it like that without a thought to Juliette's feelings. But it's their private business, and it's going to be hard enough for them to know that_ you_ know without you bringing it up."

"I wouldn't, Mom. Don't worry. I just feel so bad for Juliette. Imagine having that bitch for a mother!"

She glanced at her own mother, sure she would get a reprimand for her language, but all she got was a nod of agreement.

"But what about this…new thing? This child? Can that really be true?"

Dani just shook her head. She didn't know what to think and she wouldn't know until she'd spoken to Nico. But for the first time since that night in her front foyer, Nico had seemed to pull away from her, and she was troubled and unsure about their relationship.

XXXXXXXXXX

Juliette hadn't said a thing all the way back to the hotel, and Ray Jay was worried. He'd never seen her like this. She had an exuberant personality, and she ordinarily radiated self-confidence. But now…it was like she'd just shut down.

Ray Jay was generally pretty laid back, not really prone to violence. But today, he'd wanted to kill Gabrielle Pittman. What the fuck kind of mother was she?

When Ray Jay opened the door to the suite, Juliette immediately bolted into her bedroom and locked the door behind her.

"Come on, Jules. You need to talk about this. I know you're pissed." His mother had said to get her to talk, and God damn it, he _would_ get her to talk. He waited a few minutes for her to come out, but he knew she could be stubborn.

"Jules…open the door, or I swear I'm going to call the front desk and have them take the door off its hinges. I'll tell them it's a medical emergency or something."

He waited another minute.

"Juliette, I've got the phone in my hand."

After a few seconds, he heard the door unlock, and he opened it quickly before she changed her mind. He wasn't so sure he could have made good on his threat and he didn't want her to have a chance to call his bluff.

He found her curled up on the bed, her face turned away from him.

"Please talk to me. I know you're upset, but I don't know what's bothering you the most. You need to tell someone. You need to tell _me_."

She turned her face toward him and he could see that she'd been crying. "Why do I need to tell _you_?" Her voice was so soft that he barely heard her.

He sat down beside her on the edge of the bed. "Because I'm here. Because I'm your best friend. Because I care. If you need more reasons, I can probably come up with some."

He smiled at her and gently massaged the small of her back.

She pulled herself up then, curling into his side as he sat on the edge of the bed. His arm went around her, pulling her close.

"I feel like such an idiot." The words came out of her in a choked whisper.

That was not what he'd been expecting. Not at all. "I don't understand. I thought you'd be pissed. At your Mom, at Nico - maybe at both of them?"

"Well I'm always pissed at Mom about something. She does her best to screw with my head on a regular basis. But this…thing about her letting Nico think that I was his daughter…" She shook her head like she still couldn't believe she'd heard her mother say it.

"Yeah, that was way over the top. But she must have told him the truth at some point. You could tell he already knew that…you weren't."

"Yeah…but how long has he known? I mean, all that time, growing up, I thought I was special to him just because I was…me. We always did things together, and he showed up for my birthday with the greatest presents, and he was just _there_…you know. Sometimes, when I was little, and my parents were fighting and I felt like they forgot I even existed, I'd call Nico and if he could…if he was around…he'd come over and take me out. And if he couldn't, he'd just talk to me. It made me feel better. It made me feel as if I _mattered_ to someone. It was the one thing I could always count on. Nico cared.

"And now I know…it was all based on a_ lie_. He was _duped_ into caring about me."

"So, Jules, when would you say that the caring stopped? I mean, we agree that at some point he realized that you weren't his daughter, and if that's the only reason that he cared about you, then that caring must have stopped when he found out, right? So when do you think that was? How about last week, when he went to all that trouble to save your ass from that psycho Etienne Gerard, without even thinking twice about it. Had he stopped caring then? Do you think he didn't_ know_ last week?"

"I guess he probably did know last week. Yeah." She thought about it a minute. "He's probably known for a couple years now. It makes sense, because he's been ducking Gabrielle for about that long. I'm sure he was pissed when he found out that she'd been lying to him."

"Yeah, he was pissed at _her_…not at_ you_. He loves _you_."

She looked at him then, and he could see some of the tension leave her shoulders as she began to see his point. "Are you thinking of following in your mother's footsteps, because I think you're actually starting to make me feel better?" She tried to smile.

"Nah. Most people…I don't know what the hell is going on in their heads. But you…you're easy." He grinned at her.

But then the tears started again and he knew she still had something on her mind.

He hugged her more tightly. "What else, Jules?"

"You have family at home, right, Ray Jay? I mean aunts, uncles, cousins? You probably have those Thanksgiving dinners with a ton of people sitting around a table, like in the movies."

"Well, I don't know about 'like in the movies', but some years, yeah, Mom has cooked up a big feast. I have one aunt, Mom's sister Ronnie, and she's, well, she's nothing like Mom. She works in a casino in Vegas." He chuckled then, thinking about his Aunt Ronnie.

"But she comes for Thanksgiving."

"Sometimes. And sometimes we'd have other relatives, cousins and stuff. But why are you asking me about this, Jules?"

"Because…I never had that. You know, families sitting around together, bunches of people just talking, and maybe eating, and no one's trying to impress anyone, they're just being themselves and enjoying each other's company, not doing anything special."

She looked him in the eye then. She really wanted him to understand.

"Until now, until the past few days, the past week. This time with you, and your Mom and Nico, and Jeanette and Gusto and the baby, and then Lindsay came…it was like I had that thing, that family thing…but I was an idiot. I was only kidding myself. They're not _my_ family, not_ my_ friends. Even Nico. He was there because of your Mom, not because of me. It was all a lie."

Ray Jay squeezed her tightly against him, and tucked her under his chin.

"Aren't we a family, Jules? You and me? Haven't we looked out for each other all this time? Isn't that what families do? And if _we're_ family, then you get to have _my_ family, too. So it wasn't a lie, not at all. You're part of it all, just because you want to be. And because _I_ want you to be."

"You do?" She was nuzzled into his chest and her voice was muffled. "You'd lend me your family? Why would you do that?"

What the hell? Didn't she know how important she was to him? Ray Jay had been so worried about her, and was filled, in that moment, with so much emotion, that he couldn't hide it from Juliette or from himself.

"Jules," he said it softly, placing his finger under her chin and bringing her head up so that they were face to face. "You know I'd do anything for you." He caressed her cheek gently.

His heart started beating wildly, and he knew he had to move fast or things could get out of hand. He sprang off the bed suddenly and moved to the easy chair that was in the corner of the room.

"Ray Jay…why did you move…like that?"

"Juliette," he used her full name to give weight to his words, "I just needed to move away from you."

He thought she would understand. She _should _understand. They were both too wound up, too emotional – and he didn't want anything to screw up their friendship. It was the closest one he'd ever had.

But Juliette got up from the bed, moved across the room, and sat down on his lap. She touched his face softly.

"Maybe I didn't want you to move away. Maybe I wanted you to stay right where you were."

"God damn it, Jules! In about two seconds…I don't think I'm gonna be able to stop myself from kissing you."

She took a little breath. "Why would you want to stop yourself?"

"Because if I kiss you, it will change everything between us."

"We've kissed before, Ray Jay, when we first knew each other."

"That was different and you know it. I was only a kid…and you were Juliette Pittman."

"And who am I now?" Her voice was so soft he could hardly hear it.

"Jules. You're just Jules."

And he did kiss her then. Or maybe she kissed him. It didn't matter because as soon as their lips met, the kiss took on a life of its own. Lips, teeth, tongues…the kiss went on and on. And before long, kissing wasn't enough, and the chair became too confining, and they moved to the bed, where they could be more comfortable.

"Are you sure, Jules? Are you sure that you want to do this…with me?"

"And if I say I've changed my mind…now…what would you do?"

He groaned. "I'd say OK, and then I'd stick something sharp into myself to take the edge off my…disappointment."

Juliette laughed softly, as she unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders.

She whispered in his ear. "Put away the knife, Butterscotch, and make love to me instead."

Ray Jay groaned and moved her body so that it was flush against his own, and he decided right then that maybe he liked his nickname after all.

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico Careles was sitting in his car. He'd been sitting there for several hours. Part of that time he'd been driving around, and part of that time he'd been on his phone, but most of the time, he'd just been sitting there, trying to decide. Did he want it to be true, or did he want it to be a lie?

Not that it mattered what he wanted. It would be what it was. He couldn't change facts just by willing them away. If it were true – well, then he'd decide what was best to do. And maybe that would be nothing at all. He wasn't stupid. He knew that Gabrielle had some grand scheme in mind, that she was using this…connection… as a tactic to try to get close to him once again. But true or false, the one thing that was not going to happen was any type of renewed relationship with Gabrielle Pittman. He just might have some trouble convincing her of that.

Sometimes it was hard for him to believe that he'd once been so obsessed with her. Because now, he didn't want her anywhere around him. And he didn't want her anywhere around Dani.

He reached into his pocket then, and felt the box, the small blue box that he'd taken with him when he left the house. He fingered it now, feeling its weight and its bulk, rubbing the rounded edges of its corners and the softness of its surface. He'd taken it out of his shaving kit on impulse, and now he found comfort in its presence in his pocket. It was a sort of talisman. As long as he still had the box, as long as the box and its contents were still in play, then his world could right itself again.

He remembered his mother's words to him shortly before she'd given him that box. "Don't screw it up, Nico." And he was trying desperately not to.

He sighed, wondering if there was anything else he needed to do, or any more phone calls he should be making. He'd called Xeno Thanos, the one person in New York that he really trusted, and left the inquiries in his hands.

When he'd started his security business, Xeno was the first person he'd hired. He'd known him for years and when Nico had left for Dallas and then ended up at V3, he'd left Xeno in charge of the security business that he'd built up, and Xeno had even branched out into other areas outside of sports. The man had almost as many contacts as Nico himself.

He'd asked Xeno to find out two things for him. He first of all wanted to know about Celia Howard, the girl that Gabrielle had said traveled with her to Spain. He wanted Xeno to find and interview her if possible, but at the very least, find out what she'd been doing in September 25 years ago.

He also wanted Xeno to look up some medical records in a New York hospital. Xeno thought that with the new privacy regulations, that might be harder even than finding Celia Howard. But if anyone could get the information, he knew that Xeno could.

He then called a contact at the State Department and asked him to look into some old passport records, twenty-five year old passport records. He wasn't sure if something like that would still be available, but he might get lucky.

Tomorrow, he would check into everything here in Barcelona, and that woman, Mrs. Salazar in…what was it…oh, yes, Terragona. That part would mean that he would have to be in Gabrielle's company for a certain amount of time, but he'd manage it.

And the birth certificate. It was still in his pocket. He'd go to city hall and make sure it was legitimate before he even picked up Gabrielle.

He felt a sense of frustration because while he'd set things in motion, he now had to sit and wait until he got some answers. It was a familiar feeling. He knew that thorough investigative work often required tedious digging into backgrounds, and waiting hours or even days for results. Nico was ordinarily a patient man, but tonight his patience was wearing thin.

He sighed again, and felt in his pocket for the box.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Nico still hadn't returned by midnight, Dani gave up and went to bed. Jeanette had tried to feed her, but she just said she'd had a big lunch and wasn't hungry.

But the truth was, she was heartsick. She knew Nico was hurting, but during the short time that they'd been together, he'd been so open about everything. She just didn't understand why he'd shut down the way he had this time.

Was it the idea of having a child? Was that an unspoken desire of his? Was it going to be Matt Donnally all over again?

They'd never talked about it. And he did have Juliette. Just because he knew, now, that she wasn't his daughter didn't mean he didn't love her like one. Dani thought that Nico might even feel especially protective now that Juliette's own father had died.

She sighed in frustration. No matter what she thought, or how much she wondered, she couldn't get any answers because Nico wasn't there to ask. She was just on the edge of tears when she finally fell asleep.

Nico came in a short time later and saw that Dani was asleep. He stood there looking down at her and thought about how much he loved her.

She was right. They needed to talk. He just didn't have any idea what to say.


	18. Chapter 18: Investigation

Chapter 18: Investigation

Ray Jay Santino liked to watch Juliette Pittman sleep, and he'd had ample opportunity to do so over the past year because she had a habit of drifting off against his shoulder during their marathon movie nights. In sleep, her face seemed to him softer and more vulnerable, and he could see how she must have looked before life had turned her into the jaded sophisticate.

But he never thought he'd be watching her sleep while lying in bed next to her.

His feelings for Juliette had evolved over the year that they'd lived together, but he knew it was hopeless, that he'd been permanently consigned to the 'friend zone.' And he'd disciplined himself to accept that, as long as he was the _best_ friend. He'd distracted himself with other women and watched in frustration as Juliette became involved in one disastrous relationship after another.

But by some miracle, some quirk of fate, last night had been different. He'd been so worried about her that his self-discipline had disappeared. And then she'd made it very clear that _she_ wanted _him_. His biggest fear this morning was that it had been a momentary impulse which she would now regret.

Juliette rolled over just then and opened her eyes. His heart stopped for just an instant as he imagined her gasping in horror when she realized he was next to her, then accusing him of taking advantage of her in a weak moment. Maybe she'd be pissed. Order him out of her bed. Out of her flat. Out of her lif…

"Morning, Ray Jay," she almost purred as she stretched her body, waking up slowly, her eyes looking soft and happy. "I guess maybe we slept in after all that activity last night." She gave him a smile that was both coy and shy, a strange mixture of the world-weary sophisticate and the vulnerable girl who'd just spent the night making love with her best friend.

In Juliette's experience, this had always been the awkward moment. If she stayed the night at someone's place, and that would_ only_ ever happen if she were too tired or too wasted to get herself home, her first thought on waking up would always be how to get out, and get out _fast_. Even with men she'd been in a long-term relationship with, it had been easier to give them her body than it had been to trust them with her heart. She had learned it was better to maintain some control in an affair, and that necessitated sleeping in her own bed.

And she never brought them to her place. Neither had Ray Jay in the year they'd shared their living space. They'd each had a number of relationships, from months-long affairs to more casual hookups, but by unspoken agreement, they took their sexual activity elsewhere and never brought those others into the flat. The flat was home, and it was just for them.

But this morning, waking up with Ray Jay next to her, she felt none of that awkwardness. When he smiled at her, her stomach did little flip-flops. She didn't want to leave at all – not the hotel, not the room, not even the bed. Her eyes dropped to his lips, and she had only time to take one quick breath before he pulled her body against his, and they were kissing once again, making love once again.

Much later, relaxed and comfortable, they drifted into conversation.

"Jules," he turned on his side and propped his head in his hand as he spoke to her. "I was wondering…well, we never talked last night about this…baby that your mother says she had before you were born. Does that, I don't know, freak you out?"

Juliette considered. "It doesn't seem real. I mean, I know she said it happened, and she had that – birth certificate, I guess? – but I just can't imagine her keeping something like that to herself all these years. Especially if Nico was the father. If nothing else, I think she would have tried to use it to manipulate him, somehow, long before this."

She paused. "Of course, I wouldn't have thought she could make some kind of bizarre game out of who _my_ father was either." She shrugged. "The one thing I'm sure of is that Nico will find out the truth. I guess if it is true, I'll have to deal with it then."

Ray Jay nodded. He knew that if this woman actually existed, Juliette would not be the only one whose life would be affected.

"So what do you want to do today?" He smirked. "I have some great ideas…"

"Oh, shit!" Juliette sat up suddenly. "What time is it, Ray Jay?"

"Uh, almost noon. What's the matter?"

"I made those spa appointments for the four of us for 3 o'clock this afternoon." She turned to him, looking uncertain. "Do you think they'll still want to go?"

"Why don't you call Mom and find out?"

Ray Jay sighed and knew their idyll was over – for the moment.

XXXXXXXXXX

Much earlier that morning, another man had woken up in bed beside a sleeping woman, but his thoughts had been much more muddled. And what he really needed today, Nico Careles thought, was clarity. And he was also going to have to avoid Dani's questions, her need to get into his head.

Before he'd met her, fallen in love with her, it would have been automatic for him to shove his feelings about Gabrielle's bombshell into one of the separate little boxes that he kept in his head, and keep the door firmly shut until he was ready to deal with them.

That's how he'd been trained. Focus on the mission, realize the objective, worry about everything else later.

But Dani had opened up all those little boxes, at least all the ones marked "Personal," and he knew she was going to want to open up this one, too. But he couldn't let her, not yet. He'd just been given some mind-boggling information and he needed to be absolutely convinced that it was genuine before he could allow himself to have an emotional reaction.

So that particular box in his head was going to have to remain closed for the time being.

Nico both hoped and dreaded that Dani would wake up before he left. He hadn't seen her since lunch the day before, and he'd missed her more than he would have thought possible. But he couldn't talk about Gabrielle or her claims, and he knew that Dani would try to engage him in just such a conversation.

So he dressed quietly and took out his notebook and pen to leave Dani a note. He sighed as he wrote, knowing that she was probably going to be angry with him.

But it didn't matter, because Dani opened her eyes just as he was placing the note on the dresser. Her first reaction was a smile of relief that he was actually there. Her second came when she noticed that he was already dressed for the out of doors.

She sat up in the bed. "Nico, thank God." Pause. "Wait a minute. You're going out _now_?" The smile turned into a little frown.

He bent down to kiss her. "I've left you a note, Dani. I think I'll be gone for a good part of the day, but I'll call you."

He saw the hurt in her eyes, and knew she read his reluctance to talk with her as rejection.

"You've left me a _note_?"

She got out of bed quickly and grabbed his arm, stopping him before he could walk out the door. "Nico, why are you shutting me out? We need to talk about this."

Nico put his arms around her, willing her to understand. "I can't talk about it, Dani, because for me, it won't be real until I've verified it. Then it will become a truth that I have to deal with. But this part," he sighed, "this part I have to do on my own."

He could hear the hurt in her voice. "You'll call? Is that what you said? You told me you'd call yesterday, but you never did, and you didn't pick up _my _calls. I know you can become very…single-minded…but please don't do that again." She'd felt frightened being out of contact with him. It had felt too much like that horrible six-month period when she hadn't known if he was dead or alive.

He told himself he was the biggest jackass on the planet. "Dani, I'm so sorry. I didn't think." He sighed and hugged her tightly.

Dani shook her head, pushed against his arms, frustrated by her inability to make him see. "I know you're focused on finding out the truth, Nico, but if you let this come between us, then no matter how it turns out, Gabrielle will still have won."

She took a breath, trying to calm herself, and looked up at him. "I won't ask you if you care about me, because I know that you do. But I thought our relationship was a partnership. I thought we weren't going to keep important things from each other."

"I'm not keeping anything from you, Dani. The note tells you everything I'm going to be doing today."

"I want to know more than…than…your itinerary, Nico. I want to know how you feel about it all. If you can't tell _me_ that, who _can_ you tell?"

Dammit. This was just the conversation he'd wanted to avoid.

"That's just it, Dani." He tried his best to explain. "I can't tell anyone…how I feel about it…not yet…because I just don't know. I can't think about that aspect of it until I'm sure it's all true."

He took a deep breath. "How about this? Tonight, I'll fill you in on everything I learn today; you'll know as much as I do."

She sighed in frustration. "I appreciate your offer to keep me in the loop, but this isn't a work situation, Nico, and we're not just colleagues. This is our lives, and at some point, I'm gonna need to know more than just the facts."

"You will know. If it turns out that we need to factor some other…person…into our lives, then you and I will decide what to do about it together."

And Dani knew, however much she disliked it, that for the moment, she was going to have to be satisfied with that.

He checked his pockets then, making sure he had everything he needed. Car keys, cell phone, wallet – little blue box. Yes, everything was where it should be.

He bent down to kiss her again. "I _will _call you. I promise."

He hesitated for just a moment before he walked through the doorway, turned back to look at her.

"Dani?"

She looked up at him with sad eyes.

"I love you," he said. "Please don't forget that."

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico's first stop of the day was at the municipal building in Barcelona. His fluent Spanish made finding the correct office far easier that it had been for Gabrielle two days earlier. When he got to the head of the line, the clerk was able to confirm that the document in his hand was indeed a certified birth certificate for a baby girl born in September of 1988.

"_Si_, yes," the clerk said, as he checked the date that the document had been printed. "I remember the senora who requested this. It was a little strange. With this program, it's easier to look by the date, so I ask first for the date of the birth. She wasn't even sure of the month! I ask you, who forgets what day they have a baby?"

Nico thought it was odd, but it was 25 years ago, and maybe she'd just wanted to forget. It made no difference, though. The birth certificate was legitimate, and Gabrielle's name was on it.

He called Gabrielle as soon as he got back to the car and asked about their visit with Senora Salazar. She'd made an appointment for 3 o'clock.

"And this is the place that you stayed when you were here 25 years ago?" he asked her.

"Well, no. That house was destroyed in a storm. Apparently, the original Salazar house was a landmark of some sort, oldest house in the vicinity or something. That's where we were staying then."

She rushed on, "But it doesn't matter. It's the same woman; she's just living in a different place."

He was making arrangements to pick her up when he saw a call from New York coming through. It was the perfect excuse to terminate his call with Gabrielle.

"Xeno."

"Boss."

"I'm not your boss, anymore, Xeno. You're the boss now."

"Nah. You'll always be the boss."

Nico shook his head. This was a silly conversation, he thought.

"So what have you got for me?"

"Well, I found Celia Howard, only she's Celia Dunham now. I had one of my guys make an appointment with her for later on today. We'll have to come up with some song and dance about who he is, but it shouldn't be a big deal, because we're just asking her to confirm Mrs. Pittman's story."

"What about the hospital records?"

"Yeah, Boss, I told you that was gonna be a little harder. Now ten, fifteen years ago, it woulda been a piece of cake, but now they got all this privacy shit with medical records. But I got one more source I think I can use, someone who owes me a favor. I'll get it, Boss, one way or another."

"I appreciate that, Xeno, but don't call in all your favors on my account."

"Why not, Boss? You'd do the same for me."

They both hung up. Goodbyes were rare in their line of work.

Since he had some time to kill, Nico decided to drive to Terragona and see if he could find out about the house that Gabrielle had actually stayed in 25 years ago. He didn't know how that could possibly be helpful, but years of experience had taught him to be thorough.

He went looking for a cafe where the locals might congregate, and he hit the jackpot on his third try. He struck up a conversation with his waiter, who pointed out a table full of old men and assured Nico that they'd know all about the Salazar house.

He approached them with his questions, more grateful than ever for his fluency in Spanish. "I'm really just trying to find its location. I heard it was destroyed in a storm, and I just wanted to see if there's anything left of the foundation. I'm interested in old houses."

An argument then ensued about exactly where the house had been located. Finally, a very old man offered to take Nico to the exact spot. He had nothing more important to do, he said. For some reason, his friends thought that was very funny.

A ten-minute drive brought them to a beautiful spot overlooking the Balearic Sea. The remains of the house, the foundation and parts of the walls, showed that at one time it had been a very large and probably very impressive structure.

Nico got out of his car to look around, noting in what an isolated spot the house had been situated. Any occupants of the stone house would have been able to go about their daily lives in complete seclusion. That would have made it well-chosen for its purpose 25 years ago.

Satisfied, Nico brought his temporary tour guide back to the café, and decided it might be a good time for lunch.

He drove back to Barcelona, and at 2:30 he picked up Gabrielle in the lobby of the Hotel Majestic. This was the first time that Nico had been alone with Gabrielle since the incident in the café in Paris, and he was determined to keep his distance. But Gabrielle was as single-minded as ever, and he found himself trying to discreetly peel her hand off his arm before they had even left the hotel.

"You have the address?" he asked.

She handed him a piece of paper and he put the address into the car's GPS unit. A half hour later, he was back in Terragona, not far from the café where he'd had lunch, and they were knocking on the door of Senora Salazar's apartment.

The door was opened immediately. Senora Salazar had obviously been looking out for her visitors.

"Come in, come in." She looked up at Nico. "Is this the friend we must explain everything to, Gabrielle?"

"Yes, Senora Salazar, just as we discussed. This is Nico Careles. He needs to know about my…baby…because…he was the father." They sat down across from their hostess.

Tea had been ordered by the_ senora_, and was brought in by the housekeeper.

"Just leave it here on the table, Marta," Senora Salazar spoke to her in Spanish.

Marta seemed to hover even after she'd left the tea tray, and Gabrielle was annoyed. She didn't want to have this conversation in front of a servant. But when she said as much, Senora Salazar just laughed.

"Marta has never learned English properly. She says that anyone who comes to Spain should be able to speak Spanish. So you can speak freely in front of her. She won't understand a word."

Nico saw the housekeeper's eyes flicker then, and he wasn't so sure that the _senora_ was correct, but he didn't really care how much the housekeeper might hear.

"Senora, I understand that you were a friend of Celia Howard's mother. Did she contact you about sending Gabrielle here, with her daughter for company?"

"Yes, she did. She was an old school friend, and she knew that we were somewhat isolated out in the stone house by the sea. You know, Mr." she hesitated, although they'd be introduced, so he reminded her...

"Careles, Senora, Nico Careles."

"Oh, yes, Mr. Careles, I was going to say that 25 years ago we weren't quite so tolerant about children born out of wedlock as we are today. Today, all the celebrities have them, and no one thinks twice about it."

"That's very true. Senora, I wonder, did everything go smoothly with the…pregnancy? There were no complications?"

"Well, yes, as a matter of fact, there were. Gabrielle…" and here she glanced at Gabrielle and looked just a little confused, but continued on. "Gabrielle developed high blood pressure and had to have bed rest for the last six weeks of the pregnancy. I remember that very well, because it was a bit frightening for us all."

She looked at Gabrielle for confirmation.

"Oh, well, yes, that was very tedious," was all Gabrielle had to say.

Nico's eyebrows rose slightly. 'Tedious' was hardly the word he would have chosen to describe a life-threatening condition.

Senora Salazar brightened. "But everything turned out well. The birth was normal and the baby was healthy."

"And do you know what happened to the baby, Senora?"

"Oh, no. That was all taken care of by some people who came to the hospital. I only had to make sure that everything went well with the birth, and then send them home."

"Them?"

"Yes. The girls. Gabrielle and…and Celia." She opened her mouth and then shut it again.

Her manner seemed a little odd, and Nico didn't know if she was hiding something, or was just generally confused. She looked to be well over eighty.

"And the hospital? Where the birth took place?"

"Oh, yes. It was _Hopital de Barcelona_, a very excellent hospital."

"I'm sure it is." He made a note. The hospital would figure in his investigations if he decided to try to find…the child.

Nico finished his tea. He could think of nothing else to ask and he and Gabrielle got up to leave.

When Gabrielle asked to use the bathroom, Nico told her he would wait for her in the car. He was only partway down the walk when the housekeeper, Marta, came running out after him.

"Senor," she spoke in rapid Spanish. "I must speak with you…but not here. Come back tomorrow, in the morning. I will meet you at the café down the street at 10." She named the same café where Nico had had his lunch.

"Can you tell me what this is about, Marta?"

"Tomorrow, Senor. I will tell you everything tomorrow."

Gabrielle was coming out of the house as Marta scooted back in.

"What did she want?" Gabrielle asked warily.

"I had dropped my pen when I made a note of the name of the hospital, and she was returning it to me." Nico generally avoided lying, even the 'little white lie' variety, but there had been something furtive in Marta's approach, and his gut told him to keep his conversation with the housekeeper to himself.

When Nico dropped Gabrielle off at her hotel, she tried any number of stratagems to persuade him to join her in the bar for a drink. This was not a surprise to Nico.

"Goodbye, Gabrielle," he said.

"But we should…talk…about our…daughter, Nico. We'll need to see more of each other than we have been. You shouldn't have been so out of touch lately," she said coyly. "It's not like you."

Nico sighed and shook his head. "Goodbye, Gabrielle. If I need to speak with you again, I'll call you."

Gabrielle was left sputtering on the sidewalk in front of her hotel. Later, she promised herself. When we find the girl, we'll have a real connection and then he'll come back to me.

As always, when life didn't suit her, Gabrielle Pittman had a positive genius for creating her own reality.

As he pulled away from the hotel, Nico decided to call Dani - again. He'd tried to get her while he was having his lunch, but it had gone right to voice mail. The same thing happened this time. Where the hell was she?

Without conscious thought, he put his hand in his pocket and fingered the blue box.

XXXXXXXXXX

While Nico was trying to call Dani, she was lying on a lounge chair in the day spa at the Renaissance Hotel. When Juliette had called and reminded her a little tentatively of the spa appointments made earlier in the week, Dani and Lindsay and Jeanette had all loved the idea of a relaxing afternoon at a spa.

Dani and Jeanette had occasionally treated themselves to a spa day back in New York, but for Lindsay, this would be a new experience. When she heard that Juliette was treating them all, she further revised her opinion of the former party girl.

"I wonder why Juliette is doing this, Mom." Lindsay had her own idea, but she wanted to hear her mother's opinion.

"You know, Linds, I don't think that Juliette has ever actually had many girlfriends. I think the idea of the four of us all doing this together appealed to her the same way you used to like to have slumber parties with your friends when you were 13."

"Slumber parties? Mom, I think Juliette's a little beyond slumber parties."

"I know, Linds, but the idea is the same. I don't think she's had that shared girly experience much in her life."

"Oh," Lindsay thought that over. "Maybe you're right."

Dani's eyes twinkled then and she shared a smile with Jeanette.

"Of course, it could also be the other reason."

"Other reason? And the other reason is…"

Dani and Jeanette both laughed and said almost in unison, "Ray Jay."

"I knew it," Lindsay smirked. "She's trying to gain some points with the Santinos."

"Well, as a non-Santino beneficiary of this generosity, as far as I'm concerned it's working!" Jeanette laughed as she picked up her phone and lined up a babysitter.

So there they were, some hours later, after having the full treatment: facial, deep tissue massage, and the _piece de resistance_, the seaweed wrap! Now they were lying relaxed on lounge chairs, contemplating their newly-pummeled bodies, and deciding that something tall and cool should be the next order of business. Lindsay was delighted to learn that 18 was the legal drinking age in Spain, and she and Jeanette wandered off to get them all drinks.

"Juliette, this was such a thoughtful idea. I know we all enjoyed it, especially after yesterday." Dani was determined not to let Gabrielle's visit the day before become the elephant in the room.

Juliette turned her head away, embarrassed.

"And you should remember that no one is blaming you for your mother's actions."

Juliette shot Dani a grateful look. "Do you think that Nico would talk to me about what…Gabrielle said? You know, about him thinking that he was my father. Oh, God, I'm embarrassed even saying it out loud. I don't know how I could talk to him about it."

Dani thought a moment. She knew Nico was reluctant to talk about the other, newer, situation, but she thought he might speak to Juliette, if only to reassure her.

"He's working on the other…thing…today, but maybe you could ask him later."

"I will." She turned and looked at the older woman. "You know, Dani, Ray Jay really helped me to, I don't know, get some perspective, I guess. He really was great." She said more softly, almost to herself. "He really_ is_ great."

Dani looked at her shrewdly then, and when Juliette saw the look, she blushed beet red. How could she have forgotten how perceptive Ray Jay's mother was?

"Well, I think he's pretty great, too, Juliette, but then he is my son." She wondered what to say to Juliette. It was clear to her that something had changed between them since lunch the previous day.

"Did he tell you he might be coming back to New York?" Why did I say that? She wanted to clap her hand to her forehead. It sounds like I'm trying to warn her away from him.

But Juliette already knew. "I know. I finally got him to mail in the application to NYU. I really hope he gets in because I know he'd love film school."

"But," Dani was a little perplexed, "look, Juliette, I know Ray Jay is more to you than just your best friend. If he comes back to New York, won't you miss him?"

"Like crazy." She had to be honest. "But he should still do it. He needs to find his special thing and I think this could be it. Besides," she smirked, "I do have a few bucks lying around if I want to buy a plane ticket."

Dani just stared at her. She thought she might really be able to love this girl.

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico had finally tracked Dani down by calling Ray Jay, and was on his way to the Renaissance Hotel when he got another call from Xeno.

"Couple things, Boss. My guy talked to Celia Dunham, _nee_ Howard, and she confirmed everything Mrs. Pittman said. He told her the girl was looking for her birth mother. Apparently, Mrs. Dunham was a little reluctant to talk about it at first, but when he said he just wanted confirmation that Gabrielle Sinclair was the girl's mother, she cooperated. Said she and Gabrielle hadn't been in touch in years."

Nico nodded to himself. "OK. Anything else?"

"My guy at the hospital says he thinks he'll be able to find what you want to know late this afternoon – uh, but I guess with the time difference that would be too late to call you."

"Don't worry about that. If you find out anything, Xeno, let me know right away."

"Will do."

Celia confirmed Gabrielle's story, Nico thought. That would seem to wrap it up. But he'd wait until he heard about the medical records. And he hadn't yet heard back from his State Department contact.

And then there was his mysterious meeting with Senora Salazar's housekeeper. He couldn't help wondering what that was all about.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jeanette had had to leave, but the other three women had moved to the lounge of the Renaissance Hotel by the time Nico finally caught up with Dani there. Ray Jay followed almost on his heels.

"You don't answer your phone?" Nico's reprimand to Dani was mild.

"Oh, sorry. We turned them off when we had our massages, and I never looked at my messages." She knew it was a lame excuse, but Dani was still just a tiny bit annoyed with Nico. Why can't he be more open? She'd been asking herself that question all day.

Nico quirked an eyebrow at her and was about to remind her that it did no good for him to call her if she didn't pick up her phone, when his own phone suddenly rang. He looked down. His guy at the State Department.

"I've got to take this." He moved out of the lounge to a quiet corner of the vast lobby for some privacy.

"You are one lucky bastard, Careles. Those records were due for destruction at the end of this year, but they were still intact and I had a look."

"And?"

"According to their passport records, Gabrielle Sinclair and Celia Howard traveled to Barcelona in early June of 1988 and returned in early October. No record of them going to any other country. Spain and back. That's it."

Nico sighed. Another confirmation of Gabrielle's story. He wondered if he should just stop investigating.

"Thanks. I owe you."

As he hung up, he turned around and was surprised to see Juliette standing no more than three feet away, looking at him with the most tentative expression he'd ever seen on her face. It broke his heart.

"Juliette," he said. "I can't remember the last time you hugged me. You were maybe eleven or twelve. Then you got much too sophisticated. How about we try it now?"

He wasn't prepared for her reaction as she threw herself at him. He could hear the tears in her voice when she said, "I'm so sorry, Nico."

"Hey," he looked at her. "What do you have to be sorry about? I'm the one who should be apologizing to you." He sighed, embarrassed. "I know you've probably figured out by now that my conduct with your mother was not always…appropriate. I won't make excuses for my behavior. It was not honorable."

"Did you…were you…you were in love with her then…right?"

"I knew her first, Juliette, before she met Marshall and, yes, after they married, I still had feelings for her. But that doesn't make it right."

Juliette shook her head and gave a little laugh. "I think I'd already figured out that part, Nico, and kind of decided I wouldn't judge you." She leaned back and looked him in the eye. "There were so many times when you could have judged me, but you didn't. You just tried to help me. Over and over again. But most of the time I was too stubborn to let you. You were always there for me – even last week with Etienne."

She smiled. "But the best thing you ever did was to force me to sell the Hawks. Because I love what I'm doing now – and I hated that football team! I was just trying to prove a point. It was pretty stupid."

"I'm glad you're happy, Juliette. That's all I ever wanted for you. To be healthy and happy. And I'll always be there for you. You know that. We don't have to be related by blood for me to care about you."

He gave her a little smirk then. "So, you and Ray Jay, huh?"

Her mouth dropped open. She and Ray Jay had barely said two words to one another since he'd arrived.

"How the _hell _did you know that, Nico? I mean, it only just happened!"

He winked at her and turned her around so they could head back to the lounge. "It's what I do, Juliette. It's what I do."

XXXXXXXXXX

Juliette had insisted on hosting them all for dinner in the hotel's restaurant. This was her day to treat, she said. So they let her, because it gave her so much pleasure.

Dani looked around and thought that if this had been a couple of days ago, she would have been ecstatic. There they were, for all the world looking just like any family, on vacation, having a nice meal. She and Nico, both her kids, his surrogate daughter/Ray Jay's girlfriend (she guessed she'd have to get used to that last part). She'd really like to think that they could become that family, but she just wasn't sure.

She loved Nico and he loved her, of that she _was_ sure. But they had barely started down this relationship path and an enormous issue had come up. Something completely unexpected, something they could never have anticipated. And instead of dealing with it together, they'd scarcely said ten sentences to each other in the past day and a half.

And she had so many questions. Maybe if she skirted around the emotional stuff, maybe if she asked questions about topics that didn't directly relate to the Gabrielle issue, maybe he would answer. At least she could try.

Dinner had been leisurely, and by the time they got back to Jeanette's house, it was quite late. But Dani was determined that they would have at least some conversation that was a little more intimate than a dry recitation of Nico's day.

"So, go ahead, Nico," she said as she changed into her night clothes, "fill me in. What did you learn today?"

He sighed. "Not much that was new. The birth certificate is legitimate, according to the city records office. Gabrielle and her friend Celia Howard are on record with the State Department as having been in Spain from June to October of 1988. I also spoke with the woman that they stayed with until…the birth…, a Mrs. Salazar, and she confirmed everything that Gabrielle said."

For some reason, he hesitated in telling her about his meeting the next day with the housekeeper, Marta. What she wanted to tell him might be irrelevant. Or she might just be some crazy eccentric. Or maybe she wouldn't even show up. Better to wait until he had some fact he could rely on to bring her up. He was always much more comfortable dealing in facts.

"I also heard from Xeno. He tracked down Celia Howard, and she also confirmed Gabrielle's story."

"And that's it? That's all you know?"

"So far. It's only the first day. Sometimes important facts take time to emerge."

"But you're going to keep digging."

"Yes. Until I'm satisfied."

"And we can't talk about anything else until you know whether it's true." Her voice had started to rise and he could tell that she was getting angry.

"Dani…"

She sat on the edge of the bed and asked her question, the one she thought might be acceptable. "Just tell me this, Nico, and please be honest. Before this came up, before we ever knew that there could possibly be a child of yours out there in the world somewhere…" Dani took a deep breath, "would you have wanted to start…a…a family? With me, I mean, if things ever got that serious?"

He stopped dead in the act of removing his socks. "You mean…with a newborn?" He just wanted to make sure he understood her.

"Well, yes, that's how people usually start out. Newborn baby – I think it's regulation." She tried to make it a joke, but she was tense, waiting for his answer.

Nico looked incredulous. "I can answer _that_ question easily, and the answer is 'no'. We're not at that place in our lives, I think. I see Jeanette with Sergio, and I honestly don't know how she does it."

"You're sure?"

"Dani, you know I don't lie, and I certainly wouldn't lie about something so important." He wondered why she had even brought it up.

His answer was the one she had expected, but it didn't mean that he wouldn't be happy to find he had a _grown_ child somewhere. And Dani wouldn't really be unhappy about that either, if it turned out to be true.

Except for just the one thing.

She didn't know how she'd be able to deal with the fact that in some way, he would be forever tied to Gabrielle Pittman.


	19. Chapter 19: Lies

Chapter 19: Lies

Dani woke up with a pounding headache. Maybe it was the stress, maybe it was the lack of sleep, but she suddenly couldn't bear the thought of getting out of bed.

She and Nico had made love the night before, trying to recapture their closeness, but she'd still been a little hurt and a little angry, and she knew that she hadn't been as loving as she should have been – as she wanted to be. And she knew that he could feel the difference.

She worried that something was always destined to come between them. Other people – Matt, Gabrielle…even Alex, although in her case, not deliberately. Or they just did it themselves – _he_ with his inability to be open, _she_ with her lack of trust.

It seemed to Dani like they'd take two steps forward – only to take one step back. Were they ever going to be able to just keep moving ahead? Or maybe it was just the headache bringing on all this 'glass-half-empty' bullshit that was circling around in her brain.

She sighed. Nico wasn't in bed – he'd already left the house, she assumed. He'd gotten a phone call very early in the morning, and she hadn't seen him since. So far, it looked like this day was going to be a repeat of yesterday – and the day before.

She struggled into the bathroom to take some Advil, then slipped back into bed, hoping that the pills would dissipate some of the pain in her head before she absolutely had to get up. She never got headaches, so she knew that her body was trying to tell her something, but she just wasn't sure what.

XXXXXXXXXX

Much earlier, Nico had awoken with a start when he'd heard his phone buzzing. He'd had trouble falling asleep, so his first impulse had been not to answer, to let it go to voice mail, but then he remembered that it was probably Xeno calling from New York, because he'd told him to call any time. He grabbed the phone and went out into the hallway.

"Xeno." His voice was a little sleepy, lacked its normal crisp precision.

"Sorry to wake you, Boss, but I think I got something, uh, unexpected for you. My hospital contact finally came through this afternoon, uh, that would be yesterday to you."

"I get the time difference, Xeno." His lack of sleep was making him short with one of his oldest friends. Or maybe it was his anxiety.

"Yeah, sorry, Boss."

"No, Xeno, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you." What the fuck was wrong with him? He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to work out the tension.

"Go ahead. What have you got for me?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Jeanette was already in the kitchen feeding Sergio by the time Dani stumbled down, her headache only partially relieved. She thought that maybe a caffeine jolt would help what the Advil had begun.

"Dani, you're up early." Jeanette was surprised to see her. She'd heard them come in the night before and it had been pretty late.

"Yeah, well, at least I'm still here. Nico got a phone call at the crack of dawn – or actually, the sun wasn't even up yet - and he flew the coop right after that."

Jeanette was sympathetic. "Have you talked to him, Dani? About what's going on, I mean."

Dani poured herself a cup of coffee from the pot Jeanette had made. "I've tried, Jeanette. He's just not receptive to conversation at this point. At least…not about that."

"He's a pretty private guy, Dani. Even I get that, and I've only known him for a few days. But I also know that he loves you. Maybe he just needs some time to process it all."

"You're taking his side?" Dani sounded hurt.

"Dani, there are no sides here." She gave her a hug.

Dani sat down with her coffee and wondered. Was Jeanette right? Was it just her all-consuming need to _know _everything that was the problem? Why couldn't she just wait until he was ready to tell her?

But she already knew the answer to that. She'd worked so hard to get him to open up to her, to really _let her in, _and she was desperately afraid that he was going to close up on her again. She knew how she felt about him – she'd never again question the term 'madly in love' – but she also knew she could never…live with…a man who kept secrets from her. At least…not personal secrets.

Dani sighed and sipped her coffee. She thought her headache was finally starting to fade.

Jeanette smiled at her, and decided to change the subject. "Gusto is determined to have everyone come to the restaurant for dinner tonight. He's been trying to get you there all week, and he knows that this is Lindsay's last night here."

She was right, Dani thought. How could she have forgotten that Lindsay was leaving on Friday? Her brain must be pretty fogged up. Maybe _she_ was in shock.

"He's even reserved a small dining room – for privacy, he said." She laughed. "He seems to think that something dramatic is going to happen every time you and Nico are around.

Given their track record this week, Dani thought that Gusto might have a point.

XXXXXXXXX

Nico sat in the café in Terragona, drinking his fourth cup of coffee. He'd gotten there over an hour early for his meeting with Marta.

After the phone call from Xeno, he'd known he couldn't possibly go back to sleep. But he didn't want to risk another painful conversation with Dani, so he'd showered, dressed, and left the house, forgetting all about leaving a note.

He'd been driving around ever since, trying to work it all out.

It was almost 10, he noted, as he looked at his watch for the hundredth time. Maybe he'd learn something from this meeting that would help him to figure it out. If she showed up. If she made sense. If she was credible.

It was with some relief a short time later that he saw Señora Salazar's housekeeper making her way toward his table. He rose automatically, his good manners drummed into him since birth, and pulled out a chair for her, and they both sat.

"Would you like something, Señora? Coffee? Something to eat?" He spoke in his fluent Spanish.

"No, Señor. I do not have much time."

He nodded. "And what is it that you wanted to tell me, Marta?"

"The truth, Señor. I think you should know the truth."

XXXXXXXXXX

Jeanette's house phone rang just as she was putting Sergio down for his afternoon nap, and Dani answered it quickly so the baby wouldn't be disturbed.

"Dani? It's Matt."

Oh, God, she thought maybe her headache was returning.

"Matt. Why are you calling?"

"Just wanted to make sure you were OK."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, after everything…"

She cut in then. "I thought we'd agreed that you were going to forget about everything you heard here the other day, that you understood that it was none of your business."

"I do understand that, Dani. But, well, it is _your_ business, and I can't help but worry about you."

She paused, trying to think what to say to him that wouldn't be too harsh. He was trying to be kind…wasn't he?

"Dani…are you still there?"

"Yes, Matt, I'm still here."

"I'm leaving Barcelona tomorrow and, um, I wondered if I could maybe buy you a drink before I left. I, uh, never got to finish my apology."

Dani pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to get rid of her now resurgent headache.

"A drink? Um, we have plans later, Matt. Gusto has been trying to get us to his restaurant ever since we got here, and it's never worked out. Tonight's the last chance, so…"

"But that's perfect, Dani. I'll meet you in the bar of _Casa Augusto_, and we can have our goodbye drink. What time works for you?"

"Uh, I don't know if that's such a good idea, Matt."

"Dani, it's just a drink." She didn't need to know how much more it was to him, that he was holding his breath waiting for her answer.

"OK. Jeanette said dinner would be at 8, so how about 7:30?"

"Great! I'll see you there at 7:30. And, Dani? Thanks."

She hung up and turned around. Nico was just inside the doorway, and the expression in his eyes was more closed off than ever. She wondered how long he'd been standing there.

"Making a date with Donnally?" As always, there was no inflection in his tone. But she knew him too well by now to be fooled by that.

"It's not a date, Nico. He's leaving tomorrow and he has something he wants to say to me before he goes. An apology of some kind."

She shook her head. "I thought it was better to meet him at the restaurant than to have him come here. The last time he was here…" Oh, God, she really hadn't meant to remind him.

"Yes, you're right. The last time he was here, he became privy to information about my life to which he had no right. So maybe the bar at the restaurant is safer."

This time, Dani noted, there was a definite edge to his voice, one he couldn't hide.

"Are you OK? You left pretty early this morning."

"I'm a little tired. I have a couple of phone calls to make and then I thought I might try for a nap. Did I hear that we're expected at Gusto's restaurant for dinner tonight? At 8?"

"Yes." Dani's voice was tentative. She wasn't sure what to expect from him anymore. "This is Lindsay's last night, and we've yet to get to _Casa Augusto_, so it's now or never."

She stopped, uncertain. "You _can_ make it, can't you?"

"Of course. Did you think I wouldn't come?"

"Honestly, Nico, right about now I don't know what to think." She grabbed her coat from where she'd left it by the door. "I'm going out for a walk. I hope you can get some sleep."

She had to get out of there, she thought, before she burst into tears.

Dani left and Nico sat down heavily in the nearest chair. What the hell was happening? He knew he should have told her what he'd found out earlier, he'd had every intention of doing so as soon as he walked into the house, but he'd been so _fucking _pissed off when he'd come into the room and heard her making a date for drinks with Matt Donnally.

Would that fucking asshole never go away?

He took a breath and tried to calm himself. He knew that a part of his irritability was from a lack of sleep and he was going to try to remedy that. But first, he needed to call Xeno and have his guy re-interview Celia Howard. Nico was pretty sure he had the truth of the matter now, but he just wanted that one final confirmation.

He supposed he could go back and see Señora Salazar, but what would be the point? She was an old lady, and she'd obviously been manipulated. Assuming Celia's story confirmed Marta's, Señora Salazar could be left in peace.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ray Jay had woken that morning to the realization that he'd spent four days in Spain, and hadn't seen a single thing.

"Let's look around the city today, Jules," he'd suggested. "Who knows when I'll ever get back to Spain?"

So they'd visited a few museums, and the site of the Barcelona Olympic Games, and then stopped in a café for a cappuccino. Dani had reached them while they were sitting in the café and told them about the dinner at _Casa Augusto_ that night.

"We're leaving tomorrow, too, Mom. I'm actually working with Marco this weekend."

"Oh," Dani hadn't known that. "I guess this will be our farewell dinner party then."

He'd no sooner hung up his phone when Juliette's rang. "Shit! It's my mother again." She shrugged. "I might as well answer it, or she'll just keep on calling."

She grinned at him. "I'd rather _not_ have her interrupt our afternoon."

"What's up, Mom?" Juliette was still angry with her mother over her actions at Jeanette's house, but then she was often angry with Gabrielle, so her attitude was no different on this day than on many others.

Finally, Gabrielle thought, finally she answers her phone. Juliette was often a very unsatisfactory daughter, and this was one of those times.

"Have you seen Nico? I expected to hear from him, but he hasn't called."

"Yes, I've seen him." She had to hand it to Gabrielle, she was relentless.

"Well, has he said anything to you?" She was clearly irritated – as well as totally insensitive to the pain she'd caused her daughter.

"Yes, Gabrielle, he has said something to me. He apologized for screwing around with my mother when I was a child. Other than that – not much." Juliette couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice.

Gabrielle was becoming agitated. "But – I've got to see him. I'll come over to that woman's house this evening…"

"No one will be home, Gabrielle. We'll be out to dinner."

"Where will you be? Are you going to her husband's restaurant?"

Juliette was so surprised that her mother had so quickly come to the correct conclusion that she waited a beat too long to deny it. And Gabrielle knew it.

"Don't bother lying to me Juliette. I know that's where you're going to be."

"It's a private party, Mom. You know – _private._ Invited guests only."

"I'm your mother. If you're invited, it's implied that I'm invited, too."

Juliette thought that she shouldn't have been amazed by her mother's twisted self-serving logic, but she was nonetheless.

"In what alternate universe would that social rule apply?" She sighed. "Please stay away. You are definitely _not_ invited."

Juliette hung up then, but she had very little hope that her mother would pay any attention to her pleas.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

It was just a short walk from Jeanette's house to _Casa Augusto_, so Dani got ready earlier than the others and went on foot to meet Matt.

She'd decided to wear the red dress, the one she'd worn the very first day that she and Nico had left on their trip and gone to his parents' anniversary party. And she'd fixed her hair in the low knot that he loved. If she'd been a bit less self-aware, she might not have realized what she was doing, but she was Dr. Dani Santino, with a PhD in Psychology, and she knew very well that she was trying to remind Nico – and herself - of that night when they'd been so happy.

Not that she really expected it to work. She sighed. When had she become such a pessimist?

Matt was already there when she got to _Casa Augusto_, sitting at the bar, talking to a very attractive brunette. Perhaps 'talking' wasn't the right word for it, she thought, since the woman didn't appear to know much English and she knew damn well that Matt spoke very little Spanish.

No, the communication here was mostly by body language.

He spotted her. "Dani, I'm glad you're here. I've been trying to save this seat for you, but the place is getting crowded, and it was getting tough."

"So I see," she smirked.

"What will you have?" He called the bartender over to take her order.

"Just a glass of chardonnay, thanks." She smiled at the bartender, who reappeared almost immediately with her wine.

"You look great, Dani. But then, you always look great." The boyish smile was in full evidence.

"Thanks, Matt." She sipped her wine. "What was it you wanted to say to me?"

He frowned. "You know, I came over the other day to apologize to you for just showing up like I did. Coming to Spain…it was…an impulse."

"It's OK. No harm done." That was it? That's all he wanted to say?

And then he continued.

"But I changed my mind after I heard everything that Gabrielle Pittman had to say. I'm glad I came to Barcelona."

"Matt, I thought we agreed that any discussion of that…incident was off limits."

"No, I agreed not to mention it to anyone back in the States, anyone who might know Careles. But I can't sit by and watch you throw your life away on someone so…unworthy of you."

"Unworthy. You think that Nico Careles is unworthy of me." It wasn't a question; she just wanted to make sure she'd heard him correctly before she took issue with his assertion.

"Yes. I think he's a scary guy, with a past that you know nothing about, and that you should stay away from him."

Dani wondered what to say. She could just leave it out there, of course, but she felt that Nico deserved to be defended. And she_ did_ know about his past, or at least some parts of it, but she certainly couldn't explain all that to Matt, because it was…again…Nico's private business.

"You don't seem to have any response, Dani. Do you think he's right? Should you stay away from me?" Nico's voice came from right behind her. The bar was so crowded that neither Dani nor Matt had seen him approach.

"Did you follow me here, Nico?" Dani could hardly believe it.

"I believe that we're both expected for dinner." His tone was neutral.

Nico's face was impassive, but inside he was dying. The dress – she'd worn the red dress, the one she'd worn to the party, the one he'd practically torn off her body afterwards because he'd wanted her so badly. She'd even arranged her hair the same way.

And she'd fixed herself up like that for…_Matt Donnally_?

He felt his insides clench in a totally unfamiliar way, one that he didn't want to put a name to, but that he knew damn well was jealousy.

"You still haven't answered Donnally's question, Dani. There are things about me that you don't know, probably will _never_ know. Maybe you should think about that." He couldn't remember the last time he'd acted like such a fool. Dani looked at him as though he were someone she didn't know.

"Look, Careles, Dani and I were having a private conversation. Your dinner isn't until 8." Matt had risen from his bar stool.

And then a new – and most unwelcome - voice was heard.

"Nico, there you are. Juliette told me that you'd be here having dinner tonight. I_ must_ speak with you." Gabrielle was dressed to the nines and it was clear that she was determined to have this conversation.

Juliette and Ray Jay appeared at the door just then, Juliette closing her eyes in horror as she saw that her mother was already trying to buttonhole Nico. And Matt Donnally was here? Again?

Nico suddenly felt like he was in the middle of the last act of a three-act farce. The part where all becomes clear. Well, why not, he thought. Let's just have it all out tonight.

"Gusto?" He saw the owner frantically waving at him, like he thought that some kind of brawl might be just moments away from erupting in the middle of his bar. "Can you set a couple of more places in that private dining room? We have two more guests for dinner."

Matt Donnally's jaw dropped.

"I think that Matt and Gabrielle deserve to be in on the finish of our little drama since they were there for the first act," he told them all. "In fact, Gabrielle_ was_ the first act."

"Nico, what are you doing?" Dani didn't understand what he hoped to accomplish.

"I'm just making sure that everyone knows the truth, Dani. That there are no questions left to be asked. Donnally thinks my life should be an open book, so I'm going to oblige him. Gabrielle wants a conversation, so I'm going to oblige her, too."

Gusto showed them all into the private room he had set aside for their party. It would now be a table for 9, since he himself had intended to eat dinner with his guests. He sighed. He was no longer sure that he wanted to be anywhere near that room.

"As soon as my wife arrives," he told the waiter, "bring the first course."

XXXXXXXXXX

It had been a tension-filled dinner, and none of them were likely to remember what they ate. Ray Jay and Juliette, Jeanette and Lindsay, all four tried to maintain some kind of dinner conversation, but they were defeated, finally, by the tension that was radiating from Nico, his back rigid and his jaw stiff.

Gabrielle sat, frustrated, waiting for him to speak to her – and as far away from Nico as she could be placed; he'd made sure of that. Matt Donnally was waiting to witness what he was sure was going to be the final blow-up between Dani and Nico Careles.

And Dani? She sat silently beside Nico, and didn't know what to think.

"I'm just waiting for a phone call, Dani." He looked at her then, but when she met his eyes, he had to look away. She looked hurt and worried, and he knew he was the cause.

The phone call came during the dessert course. Nico stepped away from the table to take it and when he came back to his seat, he looked at them all and shook his head. He knew he didn't need to do this _this way_, like he was the master detective in some cheesy potboiler, ready to reveal all to the suspects gathered around him. But he couldn't seem to stop himself.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so out of control; he felt for the little blue box in his pocket and clutched it in his palm as though it were a lifeline.

He addressed Gabrielle directly. "You told a very interesting story the other day, Gabrielle, a sad tale of a young unmarried girl who found herself pregnant and had to move to another continent to avoid her shame. It was a true story…"

"Well, of course it was…" Gabrielle tried to interrupt.

He kept talking as though she hadn't said a word. "It was true story, except for one minor point. That girl was not you."

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course it was. You saw the birth certificate! You spoke to Mrs. Salazar!"

"Indeed I did. But it was all a lie, a 25-year-old lie that you'd probably forgotten all about, until you heard that Dani and I were heading here to Barcelona. That's when you remembered and realized how perfect, _how convenient for you_, that lie could become."

Gabrielle sat in rigid silence.

"But you forgot about the housekeeper, Marta. Unhappily for you, she didn't like you 25 years ago, and she made it a point to let me know the truth of the matter."

XXXXXXXXXX

"_The truth, Señor. I think you should know the truth."_

"_And what truth would that be, Marta."_

"_Yes, those girls came from America to hide the shame of the baby with no father. Señora Salazar – she needed the money, and she was very well paid. We lived off that payment for many years."_

_He nodded, encouraging her to continue._

"_But the tall skinny one, that whining bitch who never stopped complaining and who never had a kind word for anyone, she was not the one who had the baby. It was the other one, the short one, she's the one who was _enceinte_, the one who had the baby."_

"_I don't understand. I saw the birth certificate. The mother was listed as 'Gabrielle Sinclair."_

"_Yes, yes, and she was also very well paid for the use of her name – as well as her time."_

_She huffed, a bit impatient with his inability to understand how it had all been._

"_When they arrived at the house, the short one, she called herself 'Gabrielle,' and the other one was 'Celia.' But sometimes they would slip up, especially if they were alone – or thought they were alone. I became suspicious and…found their passports in their room. They had switched names. At first, I couldn't figure out why, until I realized that it was all done to protect the girl's family. They had the money, so they could buy not only seclusion for their pregnant daughter, they could also buy someone else's name to put on the birth certificate."_

_Nico nodded his head as all the pieces suddenly fell into place, including the medical information that Xeno had given him that morning. _

"_But what about Señora Salazar? When Gabrielle reappeared, wouldn't the _senora_ have known that Gabrielle was the…companion, not the mother?"_

"_Perhaps a year or two ago, yes, she would have understood the she was being told a lie. But not now. Now, every day, she is becoming more and more confused." She shrugged. "It was a long time ago, the tall one told her that _she_ had had the baby, so it must be so."_

_She looked at him shrewdly then. "But I could not let her use this to bind you to her. It would not be right."_

_She'd left then, but it was a long time before Nico followed._

XXXXXXXXXX

There was complete silence as Nico related to them the housekeeper's story. But Gabrielle was not one to give up easily.

"Why would you listen to a housekeeper, Nico? She was just being vindictive. She never liked me."

His voice was deceptively soft. "Let's not play any more games, Gabrielle. Admit to the truth and we can end this farce. Or do I need to recount your medical history to all these people. I _am_ sorry for the invasion of your privacy, but you left me little choice."

"What does my medical history have to do with anything?" She was going to fight to the bitter end.

He sighed. "Do you remember Señora Salazar telling us that 'Gabrielle', who was actually Celia, of course, suffered from gestational hypertension and had to have bed rest for the last 6 weeks of her pregnancy? Of course you do, you said you found it 'tedious,' I believe. I imagine it _was_ tedious for you, because it also restricted _your_ activities in what had already been a long and boring summer."

Gabrielle made no comment.

"Yes, well, there was no mention of hypertension in a previous pregnancy in your medical record when you were pregnant with Juliette. In fact – it was noted in your record that it was your _first _pregnancy."

Nico was tired, and sick of the entire affair, and decided to simply end it. He delivered the _coup de grace_.

"And Celia Howard has finally decided to admit the truth. She never had any other children and wants to look for that child she tried so desperately to hide all those years ago. That was the information in the phone call I just received."

Gabrielle looked pinched and desperate – and suddenly…old.

Dani sat there in stunned silence for a moment. Then she turned to Nico and said softly, but with purpose, "And how long have you known all this, Nico?"

He winced. "Since earlier today, Dani, except for the information from Celia Howard. You saw me take that phone call just now."

"So when you came in and found me on the phone…?"

"Yes," reluctantly, "I knew then."

"And yet you chose to tell me in this theatrical manner in front of an…audience? Not privately, so we could have discussed it?"

Dani knew that they were all listening, but she was beyond caring.

Nico expected her voice to rise, to become strident in her anger. But when it didn't, when it remained soft and sad, he knew that something was very wrong.

"I think I'm going to go home with Lindsay tomorrow, Nico. I think I just really need to go home."

"Dani, please. I know I should have told you first, but when I came in and you were talking to…Donnally…" He let his voice drift off.

Dani closed her eyes and balled her fists.

"Nico, you are the most reasonable and straightforward person I know. If you were less rational and less honest, I might be able to overlook the fact that you chose not to tell me something that was of major significance to us both because of some momentary… pique…that I was going to have a drink with an old boyfriend."

She looked him in the eye. "How could you keep me in the dark like that? How could you let me worry for even an instant longer than I needed to?"

She pulled herself together with an effort and rose from her chair. "If you'll all excuse me, I'm going to go back and pack and try to get a ticket on Lindsay's plane."

"Dani, wait!" Nico was up in an instant, putting his hand on her arm. "Can we go somewhere and talk privately – just for a minute?" he asked quietly.

"No, Nico. For once, I don't think I have anything to say."

"Dani, I'm so sorry, I know I should have told you first, let you in on what was happening. I really have no excuse. And I won't try to make one. But please don't leave like this."

"Nico, I'm not…calling it off, not calling _us_ off. I just need to get away for a little bit and think about everything."

Nico understood then that she was really leaving, and that if he wanted her to know, before she walked out that door, how important she was to him, that she was everything to him, then he was going to have to tell her now, despite the fact that seven other people were listening.

"OK," he was resigned. "My private life is rapidly becoming very public anyway, so I guess I'll just have to say what I want to say with an audience present. Dani, I promise I'll get you on that plane tomorrow, if that's what you want. But just hear me out. Please."

She was still a moment, and then nodded.

He reached into his pocket then, and brought out the little blue box. He could see the panic begin to form in Dani's eyes.

His smile was rueful. "Don't worry, Dani. This is not a marriage proposal. I know it's too soon, and after everything that's happened over the past few days, I know that that's the last thing you would want from me right now."

He looked at her then, by sheer force of will compelling her to look him in the eye. "But you're right about what's in this box, and…it's been in my family for a long time. My mother gave it to me when we were there…was it only ten days ago? I never thought I'd need it, but she's been keeping it for me all these years, and she knew when it was the exact right time to give it to me.

"So…while this isn't a proposal, it's a…a declaration of my intention to propose. Because having you in my life permanently is the one thing I want more than anything else in the world. I've known that for a very long time, and I don't need even one more minute to think about it."

He took the box, then, and placed it in her palm, closed her hand around it. She looked down at her hand as though it was attached to someone else's arm.

"So here's what I'd like you to do, Dani."

She looked back up at his face as though she couldn't help herself.

He took a deep breath and put his heart on the line.

"Please take the box home with you. If… after you think about it, you know that…marrying me is something you could…never want, you can give it back to me. Hand it back, mail it back, I don't care, because I'm never going to be giving it to anyone else."

She didn't blink.

"If you're not sure, if you think that maybe someday you could want to make a life with me, then just hold onto it. Put it in a drawer somewhere and think about it, or don't think about it, but just…keep it."

She nodded, understanding.

"But if you ever _want_ me to propose, if you ever decide to forgive me all my flaws and take me as I am, then just put that ring on your finger, and I'll know that I should ask you to marry me."

He stopped, closed his eyes for a moment, and heaved a sigh. He didn't think there was anything more that he could say.

"I'll call the airline and get you onto Lindsay's plane, Dani. I'll have a car pick you up and bring you to the airport in plenty of time to make the flight. Don't worry, I won't let you down.

"But I think I'm going to go to a hotel until my flight leaves on Saturday." He looked around the table, only half seeing them.

"Jeanette, Gusto, I thank you for your hospitality." He nodded in their direction.

Nico left the room then, Dani collapsed back into her chair, and the rest of the party remained utterly and completely silent.

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico had managed to remove his belongings from Jeanette's house before Dani returned. She put the blue box on top of the dresser and looked at it, but didn't open it.

True to his word, Nico had arranged to have a car at the house to take them to the airport in plenty of time to catch their flight. When they got to the airport, Dani and Lindsay found that not only had Nico gotten Dani a ticket, he had upgraded them both to first class. Lindsay was not surprised.

"Come on, Mom, they're calling our flight." Her mother had been in a daze ever since the night before, and Lindsay had had to take the lead in getting them through all the necessary steps at the airport.

Dani was looking out the window, still in a daze, as the plane taxied toward the runway. She had the blue box in her hands, and was turning it over and over in her fingers.

"Have you opened the box, Mom? Have you looked at…the ring?"

Dani shook her head. She hadn't had the courage.

The plane took off then. Dani looked out and saw them rising higher and higher, away from Barcelona, away from Nico, and finally,_ finally_, she could hold it in no longer, and the tears began to spill down her face.


	20. Chapter 20: Home

Chapter 20: Home

No one was more surprised than Nico Careles when he found that he still had a job at V3, if he wanted it. Agent Bennett had somehow learned that Careles had turned down the job in Dallas, the same one that he'd been so eager to accept before the FBI had diverted him into their undercover operation. The Special Agent had spent only a few minutes in the company of Dr. Dani Santino, but that was enough to make it perfectly clear to him why Careles now preferred to remain in New York.

Bennett figured he owed Careles. Sure, he'd been coerced into working undercover at V3, but he'd done a damn fine job and ultimately delivered the goods on the V3 Clinic, not only making Bennett look good, but probably saving some lives in the process.

So when Connor McClane made a deal with the feds that resulted in the closing of the V3 Clinic, but still left him in control of the V3 Management Agency, one of Bennett's goals was to deflect any questions about Nico Careles, and make sure that his cover was not compromised. McClane may have had his suspicions about his chief of security, but he knew he'd never be able to hire anyone else with even half of Careles's experience and credentials, so in the end he was just as happy to believe that his security guy was no more than what he seemed.

Bennett's call to Nico caught him just as he was picking up his car from long-term parking at JFK. He was happy to fill him in on all the latest developments.

"Just show up on Monday like any other employee who's been away on vacation," was Bennett's advice.

So he was still employed at V3. That was a relief. Not that Nico couldn't have had another job by the end of the day – or at least the end of the week. Or that he even needed to work. He'd made himself financially secure long ago. But going back to V3 meant that he would be able to see Dani on a regular basis.

And he needed to be near her. Before they'd been together, before he'd known what it was like to be the man in Dani's life, he might have been able to just walk away. But he knew that he would find it damn near impossible to do that now. It scared the hell out of him to realize that he might still have to.

Traffic into the city was surprisingly light, so it wasn't long before he was back in his apartment, sitting in his favorite chair, a glass of Scotch in his hand, and contemplating for the hundredth time how badly he'd fucked up in Barcelona. His mother had told him not to screw it up, but he'd done just that. He'd let his stress and his fatigue and his anger and his jealousy chase away the one person that he loved most in the world.

He'd assured Dani that he was through keeping secrets. And then Gabrielle had dropped her bombshell and it seemed like he couldn't push Dani away fast enough. He'd felt himself withdrawing almost before Gabrielle was out the door.

He'd told himself that by keeping Dani informed of his activities, he wasn't keeping secrets. That he wasn't going to think about anything except investigating the facts. But that had been bullshit. He always said he didn't lie, but in this case he'd been lying to himself, because he hadn't wanted to admit that he'd been terrified that Gabrielle's story would prove to be true.

Not because he couldn't deal with finding he had an adult child out there in the world somewhere. He believed that he would have been able to meet _that_ challenge honorably.

No, what had him tearing around the Spanish countryside and burning up the satellite links with international phone calls was the chance that he might have a permanent connection – a blood connection - to Gabrielle Pittman that he would never be able to break. He hadn't known until the possibility presented itself how repelled he'd been by that prospect. It was ironic, really, considering all the years that he'd wasted pining after that very same woman.

So how could he have admitted all that to Dani when he hadn't even been able to admit it to himself?

And when he'd found out the truth, his first reaction had been fury at Gabrielle over what she'd put him through. He'd had to take some time just to rein in his anger and regain his self-control. But then the relief had washed over him, and he'd rushed back to Jeanette's to tell Dani that it had all been a lie. And that's when he'd managed to compound his idiotic behavior with a dose of irrational jealousy.

When he thought about it now, perhaps the jealousy had been even more unforgivable, because Dani had articulated to him in detail the distinction between what she had felt for Matt Donnally - and what she now felt for him. So as a rational being, he should have known better. But he knew very well that his response had been anything but rational.

The plain truth was that he had never loved anyone the way he loved Dani Santino, and he just didn't know how to handle the emotions that accompanied that kind of passion. It was completely foreign to him to feel _so much_. So he'd acted like a fool, like he didn't trust her. And now it seemed she didn't trust him.

At all. Again. Back to square one. He sighed once more.

But Dani had taken the ring, she hadn't rejected him outright, she'd said she wasn't 'calling them off,' so he had hope. Right now, he was sunk in a kind of self-loathing misery, acknowledging that he had no one to blame but himself. But he was still happy to be going back to V3, because he'd rather be miserable, but have the chance of seeing her every day, of maybe changing her mind, winning her back, than miserable and out of her life completely.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani had slept most of the way home on the plane, and continued in that pattern for the rest of the weekend. She didn't know if it was just her body reacting to the small amount of sleep she'd gotten while she was away, or her mind preferring to remain unconscious.

But she'd be returning to V3 on Monday, and she would need to marshal her energy so that she could dive right in. Paloma had already called and told her that a number of V3 clients had scheduled appointments for the coming week. She'd also passed on the news that Connor McClane was not only still in town, but still at V3. And that had made Dani smile just a little.

Connor had apparently been well rewarded by the feds for 'doing the right thing,' but she couldn't be unhappy about it. He was as wily an individual as she'd ever met, but he was also very engaging, and she found it hard not to like him – most of the time. And he _had_ found Hutch a new team. So she thought she could live with Connor McClane's ability to weasel his way out of trouble.

Dani was glad that Paloma had called. She needed to put herself into the right frame of mind before going back to work.

Of course the one thing that Dani had avoided thinking about for three days, what with her unpacking and her sleeping and her planning for work, was her relationship with Nico Careles. She hadn't even begun to sort out everything that had happened over the course of their two weeks together.

The first weekend in Pittsburgh had been wonderful, but so many things had happened since then that it sometimes seemed like a dream. She somehow found it hard to recall the Dani and Nico who ate chocolate croissants and danced at his parents' anniversary party, who laughed at his egotistical brother and wrangled over her shoes, who practically tore each other's clothes off because they wanted each other so desperately, and who confessed their love for one another at 4 o'clock in the morning.

She kept trying, but those two people seemed like remote images in a movie she'd once seen. She knew she'd loved the film, but she couldn't quite remember it.

She was sure they'd had some good times in Paris, but all she could seem to remember about that city was how appalled she'd been that she'd actually had to restrain herself from violently attacking Gabrielle Pittman. She knew it was because of how strongly she felt about Nico, but she'd hated feeling so out of control.

Then they'd had such a wonderful trip driving across the French countryside, holing up in the hotel in Narbonne with a bottle of wine and the warmth of a fire. A little interlude before the other shoe dropped.

And now - all she seemed capable of remembering were the hurt and disappointment of Barcelona, and she preferred not to think about that at all.

Her phone buzzed then, and she wondered if she'd conjured him up when she saw that it was Nico calling. She had to stop herself from grabbing it on the first ring – and then force herself to answer at all. But she was not a coward.

"Hi, Dani."

The sound of his voice made her heart rate speed up and her stomach clench.

"Nico. You got home OK." Such a stupid remark. What was she, 12 years old?

But he didn't seem to notice. "Yes, no problems at all. I wanted to let you know that Agent Bennett called, and apparently my cover was not compromised. So I'm still employed at V3 – unless Connor McClane tells me otherwise. Did you hear that he's back? That he made a deal with the authorities?"

"I did hear that, actually. Paloma called to fill me in."

"Good. That's good. So…I just didn't want you to be surprised to see me around V3."

"No, I won't be. I'm…I'm glad you'll still be there."

Nico's heart did a little dance.

"Can we, I mean, uh… damn it, Dani. I miss you. Can I take you to lunch tomorrow? If you're free?"

There was such a long pause that Nico thought he might stop breathing.

"Um, I don't know, Nico. Can I let you know tomorrow? It's probably going to be a busy day, and I might not even have time for lunch."

"OK, Dani. But please come and find me if you decide you _do _have time."

Damn, he thought, this is killing me. He didn't know how he was going to stop himself from getting into his car and driving to her home as soon as he hung up the phone.

Oh, God, she thought. I can't stand this. I want to see him so badly, but I need to figure it out. I need to be sure.

"So, um, I guess I'll see you at work tomorrow, Nico."

"Right. Good night, Dani."

When the call ended, Dani couldn't seem to force her legs to move from the chair she was perched on in her dining room. So eventually, her eyes were drawn to the crystal bowl that sat in middle of the dining room table. And strangely, in the middle of the crystal bowl sat the little blue box.

She looked at it now, shook her head and thought 'I'll have to move it again.' Over the past three days, the box had resided on her kitchen counter, in her bathroom cabinet, on the shelving unit in her living room, the desk in her office, and now it was sitting in the middle of the dining room table. All ridiculous places to keep a small, blue velvet ring box. She knew that. But she just couldn't seem to decide where it _really_ belonged.

Lindsay had watched the day before as her mother had wandered around the house looking for a place to put the box, and just shaken her head. She came into the room now and saw Dani staring fixedly at it, and suddenly Lindsay simply couldn't stand it.

"Mom, you are driving me insane. You _know_ where to put that box."

Lindsay picked up the box from the crystal bowl, grabbed her mother's hand, and pulled her up the stairs to the master bedroom. She opened the drawer in the night table right next to Dani's side of the bed, dropped the box inside, and closed the drawer with a flourish.

"Why would you put it anywhere else?" she asked as she left the room.

Why, indeed? Dani had always feared that that's where the box would end up, close by her at night when she was most vulnerable, tempting her by its very presence to take it out of the drawer and hold it in her hands. She opened the drawer now, picked up the box, and then returned it quickly, slamming the drawer shut.

But she didn't open the box. She still hadn't opened the box.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani felt surprisingly energized when she walked into V3 on Monday. Routine, she thought, that's what she needed. And hard work. Paloma met her with a coffee when she stepped out of the elevator, and it was as if she'd never been away.

"So how was your vacation, Dani?" Paloma gave her a meaningful smile, as if there were a secret and she was in on it.

"Um, OK. I mean, it was good, very good," she said in a repressive tone. Dani had forgotten about the V3 gossip lines. She usually ignored them.

Paloma's smile faltered a little, and frown lines appeared between her eyes as she returned to her own office. What the hell? She had been so sure that Dani had gone somewhere wonderful with Mr. Careles. After all, they were both gone at the same time, and Paloma knew how they felt about each other. Hell, she'd known that Mr. Careles was in love with Dani practically from the day that Dani had arrived.

She knew Dani liked to keep her private life to herself. And as for Mr. Careles, if Paloma hadn't detected his feelings for Dani, she would have wondered if he even _had_ a private life. So she hadn't expected details, not at all. But she _had _expected a little enthusiasm. A bright smile and an I'd-tell-you-about-it-if-I-could-but-my-boyfriend-would-kill-me kind of vibe, but she just wasn't getting it. Something was just a little bit 'off.'

Paloma was surprised. She knew that there'd been some tension between Dani and Mr. Careles when that woman had shown up claiming to be his wife. God, she'd had to interrupt them when they were obviously having words about it, and she'd been so embarrassed. Dani had been out of sorts for the next few days.

But then Paloma realized that she must have misunderstood, because Dani had canceled all her appointments suddenly and left on vacation. And when she found out that Mr. Careles was also away, she'd put two and two together. She _knew_ she was right. She hoped nothing had happened while they were away.

Paloma sighed. Somehow, Dani and Mr. Careles just seemed so…right…together. It was so romantic, she thought. She wasn't even aware of the dreamy look that appeared on her face as she thought about her boss and the chief of security. _He_ was so closed off, except with her, Paloma thought. _She_ was always so composed, except when he looked at her in that certain way…

The buzzing of her phone finally permeated her romantic haze, and she rushed to answer, feeling a little silly.

"Paloma, I've been buzzing you for a while." Dani looked at her through the glass wall. "And you have the strangest look on your face. Is anything wrong?"

"Uh, no, Dani. Sorry I kept you waiting. Can I help you?"

"Yes. I can't seem to find my appointment list on my tablet."

Paloma hurried in to help.

Dani looked at her quizzically, and was amazed when she saw Paloma flush. She couldn't imagine what her assistant had been thinking about.

XXXXXXXXXX

As soon as Dani looked at her list of appointments, she realized that she wouldn't have time to go out to lunch. In fact, she'd be lucky if she was able to grab something from the cafeteria in the twenty minutes she estimated she'd have free.

She was disappointed – and relieved. She wasn't trying to avoid Nico – not at all. She'd told him that she wasn't calling them off, and she'd meant it. But she might need just a little more time before she saw him alone. When she'd left Barcelona, she'd been badly hurt, and she felt the need to back off from the relationship until she got her bearings.

Of course she recognized that the circumstances _had _been extraordinary. She understood that the relationship had been new, and it had been under pressure from all sides for days. First Gabrielle, then Matt…then Gabrielle again, with her whopper of a story, and finally Matt again, who'd claimed to have _her_ best interests at heart, but who she recognized now had been acting only in his own interests. _That _part she'd already figured out.

She sighed, but she had no time for further personal reflection at that moment, because her first appointment arrived and she once again became Dr. Dani Santino. At least _that_ person seemed to know what she was doing.

She'd just finished with her 10 o'clock appointment when she looked up and he was standing in her doorway. Her heart rate sped up and she was sure if she tried to get up her legs wouldn't hold her. He smiled at her, that soft, crooked half smile that she loved, and she wanted nothing more than to rush into his arms, but she knew that she couldn't. It wouldn't be fair to either of them.

"Nico." She smiled in return. "I'm afraid I'm not going to have time for lunch. I've only got about twenty minutes between appointments."

"What time are you free? Maybe I can meet you in the cafeteria."

"Uh," she looked at her schedule. "Not until 1:30."

He pulled out his phone. "Got a meeting from 1 until 2." He looked frustrated.

"Can we maybe get a drink after work?" He tried again.

She was so tempted that she actually had to bite her tongue to stop herself from saying 'yes.' But drinks could lead to dinner, and dinner could lead to…

And she couldn't go _there_ until she knew it would work, until she knew it would last.

"Uh, it's my first day back and I'll probably be tired. How about lunch later on in the week?"

Even the ever impassive Nico Careles couldn't quite keep his disappointment from showing, but he agreed to her plan. He would have agreed to five minutes next to the water cooler if it meant he could look at her, talk to her, maybe touch her.

"Wednesday?"

They both checked their schedules.

"Wednesday it is."

Paloma observed them from her office and she wondered what was wrong. The electric charge that always seemed to flow between them – well, that was still there. In spades. Sometimes she thought she might get singed by it. But there was something not quite right, and it was painful to watch them.

Lunch on Wednesday set the pattern for the next few weeks. Dani and Nico saw each other around V3, of course. Sometimes they even had to work together. And there were staff meetings, and meetings with Connor McClane or his partner, Abigail Bruce, but they also carved out time for a few lunches every week.

But not drinks. And not dinner. Dani was too afraid of seeing Nico at night, when the darkness would intensify their attraction to one another and she wouldn't be able to stay away from him. And she knew that she had to. At least for now.

XXXXXXXXXX

Terrence King came to see Dani a couple of weeks after she returned.

"Hey, Dr. D.! I was thinkin' you were never comin' back!" His grin was as wide as ever.

"Terrence, I've been back for a couple of weeks, now. Where have _you _been?" She couldn't help but smile back at him.

"Oh, I been down in the islands, doin' the horizontal mambo with this little chicky I met a while back." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "You know what I'm sayin'?"

"OK, TK. I think I've heard everything I need to know about your vacation." She laughed.

He closed her office door then, and Dani looked at him, puzzled.

"Hey, Dr. D., I know with these glass walls they have here, it don't do no good to look for anythin' like _privacy_, but I figure as long as no one around here can read lips…Hey, you think they maybe got a lip reader around here? Cuz if they do…"

"Terrence. What is it?"

He seemed a little reluctant. "You know, Dr. D., I learned all about _boundaries_ from you, and I respect them, you know I do. But maybe some other people, maybe they don't respect the boundaries, you know what I mean?"

"Terrence," she was puzzled. "I have no idea what you mean. Maybe you'd better just tell me."

He paused again. "It's Matty D., Dr. D. He actually called TK and tried to get me to tell him all about you and Sneako. What the hell was that all about? "

His voice rose in indignation.

"Course I didn't tell him nothin'. You know I wouldn't do that. Cuz you got your private life. And you got a right to it. And besides, I don't actually _know_ nothin'." His eyebrows lifted quizzically – as if he thought she might fill him in.

Dani sighed. "Thanks for telling me, TK, but I already knew that Matt had called you. He told me himself."

"What? You been in touch with Matty D.? You not goin' back with him, are you, Dr. D., cuz I been thinkin' he's maybe not such a nice guy as I thought?"

Dani shook her head. "What about the boundaries, TK? Remember?"

"Yeah, yeah. I just thought you should know. I gotta go, gotta meet the chicky." The grin was back in place.

She smiled at him as he left.

He paused at the door. "Hey, Dr. D.? Stick with Sneako, OK? That man saved my life, probably more than once."

The grin was wider than ever as he walked out the door.

How did he even know about Nico and her? Dani was at a loss there.

XXXXXXXXXX

Nico wondered if he was making any headway with Dani at all. She wasn't shutting him out, but she was definitely limiting contact. They met for lunch, they talked, but touching was limited to the occasional hug. He knew that she was struggling with their relationship, struggling to be able to trust him not to hurt her like that again. And he was just going to have to wait it out.

At their first lunch, he'd spent the entire time apologizing to her, letting her know that he understood why she was hurt and angry. And she'd agreed that the circumstances had been extraordinary, probably would never recur, and had accepted that his apology was sincere.

At later lunches, their conversation revolved around any number of topics: work, Ray Jay, Juliette, Lindsay, Jeanette and the baby, Nico's family. All these were safe topics and allowed. But after that first lunch, where apologies were offered and accepted, by unspoken agreement they never again mentioned Gabrielle Pittman, Matt Donnally, or what had happened in Barcelona.

Lately, his sister Liz had been calling him, and he'd been ducking her calls. He didn't want to talk with her because he knew that she'd ask about Dani, and he didn't want to tell her that they'd reached a rough patch in their relationship.

When he didn't call her back, Liz sent him a text asking for Dani's home email address. Nico was a little puzzled, and perhaps a little wary. He didn't want Liz getting in the middle of whatever problems he and Dani were having. But after thinking about it for a couple of days, he provided Liz with the address.

It couldn't hurt his cause, he figured, if Dani and Liz became friends. And right now, he'd take any advantage he could get.

XXXXXXXXXX

A few weeks after Dani got home, a package arrived from Paris. Amidst the disaster that was the second week of their vacation, Dani had forgotten all about the dress that Juliette had given her. And apparently Juliette had forgotten for a while, too, because the dress was accompanied by a note from Juliette apologizing for the delay in sending it.

Dani pulled it out of the tissue paper in which it had been carefully wrapped and remembered her joy the day she'd tried it on. The fun she'd had with Juliette in the 'closet' and the wonderful trip up the Seine with Nico to the beautifully lit Eiffel Tower.

But she also remembered her anger at Gabrielle after finding her wrapped around Nico in that café, and how appalled she had been to realize how much she despised the other woman.

She dragged her thoughts away from that day in Paris as she shook out the beautiful silk dress. She decided to press it herself and then hang it carefully in a garment bag in her closet. She had no idea when she would ever wear such a beautiful dress, but she wanted it to be ready for her when an occasion presented itself.

Then she picked up the phone to call Juliette.

"Dani, oh my God, it's so great to hear from you! How are you?"

"I'm fine, Juliette. I wanted to let you know that the dress arrived safely, and it's just as beautiful as I remembered. Thank you again."

There was a long pause, and when Juliette came back on the line, it sounded like she was talking through tears.

"Dani…I can't tell you how sorry I am about what happened. Oh, God, it was all my fault. I'm the one who told her about Nico being in Paris, and then that bitch Emilie told her about Barcelona."

She paused, collecting herself.

"But to do what she did…I always knew she was a narcissistic bitch, but she really reached new heights this time. I told her she needs help way more than I ever did. I told her she needs therapy. Hey, that's pretty fucking funny, isn't it?" She gave a little laugh, but she didn't sound amused.

"Juliette, please don't think that I blame you for any of this. I told you that before. You are not her."

Dani paused.

"And she _is_ your mother. At some point, you're going to have to forgive her. Honestly, I don't think she can help herself." And as soon as the words left her mouth, Dani knew that they were probably the key to Gabrielle's entire personality. _She just couldn't help herself_.

"I don't know if I can forgive her, Dani," Juliette was saying now. "I've forgiven her a lot, but I don't know if I can this time."

She sighed, and then her voice became a little uncertain. "And what about Nico, Dani? About you and Nico, I mean? Do you…are you…" She paused, unable to finish.

Dani wanted to be honest. "I don't know, Juliette. We see each other at work and for lunch sometimes, but I need to try to find a way to trust him again."

She did her best to explain it to Juliette.

"It's like there's a wall around the part of me that loves him, Juliette. I need to guard it because …I was so hurt by everything that happened. And I can tell you that he's apologized over and over, and I've accepted his apology, but that's in my head. I just can't seem to get past that wall around my heart."

Juliette was silent for a minute. "Dani, you can tell me that this is none of my business, but I know, _I know _that Nico acted the way he did because he is so crazy in love with you that it's just got him all over the place. I've known him my whole life, Dani, and there is nobody in the universe that I trust more. Nobody. He's never let me down."

Dani could hear someone in the background interrupting Juliette.

"I have to go, Dani. We'll talk soon. I'll tell Ray Jay that you called. He, uh, he wanted to call you, but he didn't want to upset you, so…he's been talking to Lindsay."

"Well, tell him to call his mother, Juliette. I won't break."

They both laughed then, a welcome relief from their emotional conversation.

When she got off the phone, Dani went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea. She was still a little shaken by what she'd said to Juliette. _A wall around her heart._ She hadn't really thought about it like that until she was explaining it to Juliette. But she knew, as a therapist, that it was often that way. You tried to explain your actions or feelings to someone else, and in the course of explaining, you gained some insight.

Am I my own therapist, now? She laughed at herself as she poured tea from the pot into her cup, and pondered what Juliette had said about Nico. That he'd never let her down. And Dani knew that that was true for her, too.

She remembered when she'd known him only a short time and had been trying to help his friend's son who was a gambler. Nico had been so angry that she'd compromised her personal safety to help her patient.

"I'm worried about _your _safety," he'd told her. It had been the first time that Dani had felt that she was more than just another Hawks employee to Nico. That maybe they were friends. And he_ had_ helped her, taken care of the problem.

And even before that, when she'd known him only a very short time, he'd somehow gotten rid of the sleazeball private investigator that Ray had hired while they were in the process of divorcing. She never did know how he'd accomplished that. She'd just been grateful.

Dani sipped her tea, and continued to remember all the times that Nico had come through for her.

Like when her kids had been caught illegally selling Hawks merchandise, and he'd taken care of the problem without involving any type of law enforcement – and then made sure that Ray Jay and Lindsay had owned up to it with her. She remembered their confessions, and their insistence that she make sure that Nico knew that they'd told her about it. She laughed aloud now, recalling how intimidating they'd found Nico.

But he hadn't let her down then, either. He'd protected her kids.

And then, of course, there were the tapes of her patients that Marshall Pittman had recorded. She shuddered now, remembering how utterly helpless and alone she'd felt when she'd found out. It had been one of the darkest moments of her life. It was so typical of Nico that he'd borne the brunt of her wrath by taking upon himself the unpleasant task of telling her.

She never knew how he'd managed to get back the copies of the tapes, hadn't even wanted to ask. And she was pretty sure that it was only because of Nico's influence that Pittman had bothered to mail her the originals before he took his own life.

The relief had been enormous. And she knew that it had been Nico looking out for her – again.

Just recently there'd been the situation with TK. When TK told her that Nico had saved his life, she knew he was referring to the illegal drugs at the V3 Clinic. But in that case, he'd not only saved TK's life, he'd also protected his reputation.

And then she couldn't seem to stop remembering all the times that Nico had taken it upon himself to protect those he cared about - and even those that _they_ cared about. It went way beyond just 'doing his job.' And she'd taken it all for granted.

His twin brothers had told her how their big brother had looked out for them when they were children. And she had responded by saying that he was still protecting everyone. But she remembered now that she'd been so matter of fact when she'd said it, like it was ordinary, when she knew it wasn't that way at all. It was the furthest thing from ordinary.

And something in her chest that had been clenched and tight and miserable unwound just a little bit as Dani sat there drinking her tea.

XXXXXXXXXX

She thought she should have been surprised, but somehow she wasn't, when she got a call on her house phone from Matt Donnally a couple of weeks after she'd gotten home.

When she saw his name on her caller ID, she was tempted not to pick up, but she knew she had to finish it, once and for all.

"Dani. Um, I wanted to wait a while before I called. You doing OK?"

"Not bad, Matt. And you? Have you seen Noelle, tried to work it out?"

There was a pause before he answered.

"I thought you understood, Dani. Things between Noelle and me – well, it's just not going to work out."

"I'm sorry about that, Matt, I really am."

Another pause. Dani was very much afraid of what might be coming next.

"Dani…I'm still in love with_ you_. I know I told you in Barcelona, but I don't think you believed me. And now that things are finished with you and Careles…"

He never got to finish that sentence.

"Where did you get that idea?"

"What do you mean? I got it from _you_ – that night in Barcelona. You…you left."

"I left Barcelona, Matt. I didn't leave Nico."

"So…you're back together?"

She chose not to answer that question.

"Matt, remember when we had that drink at the bar and you apologized for coming to Barcelona, said you did it on impulse?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"And I told you it was OK? No harm done?"

"Yeah?" He sounded puzzled.

"Well, I was wrong. The things that happened in Barcelona – Gabrielle, her lies – well, your presence there just made it all that much more difficult for…for Nico – and for me. Another person, someone who wasn't so intent on…getting what he wanted at all costs, might have figured out that he should…gracefully withdraw. But you stayed. And that added another huge layer of stress that we didn't need."

She paused for a breath and to collect her thoughts.

"Dani…" he tried to jump in.

"No, Matt. I'm not finished. I've tried to be fair to you, tried to be kind, tried to be understanding, but I'm done trying. We're never going to get back together, Matt, because I don't love you and I don't want you. Go back to your wife, don't go back to your wife, at this point I really don't care. Just please, for both our sakes, don't call me again."

She hung up before he had a chance to say another word.

Finally, she said to herself. And she felt a tremendous sense of relief.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani hadn't talked to Jeanette since she'd left Barcelona, so a few days later, she decided that it was time to have a heart-to-heart with her oldest and dearest friend.

It was noon, on a Sunday, and she thought it might be the perfect time to Skype. Jeanette's cheerful face came smiling through Dani's laptop almost immediately.

"Dani, you must be psychic. I was just thinking about you. How are you?"

Jeanette was a little tentative. She knew Dani better than anyone – except perhaps Nico – and she knew how upset she'd been when she'd left her house in Barcelona that Friday morning.

"I'm…OK. I guess. All right, not really. Jeanette…what the hell is wrong with me?"

"There's nothing at all wrong with you, Dani, except that maybe you love very fiercely."

"Do I, Jeanette? I've never noticed it before. At least not with a man."

"No, I think this is a first."

"But should I, Jeanette? Is it…is it _right_ to love someone like that? Is it right to love _this man_ like that?"

Jeanette's expression became serious. "Dani, are you asking me if I think that Nico Careles is worth your loving him that much? Do I…understand you correctly?"

"Yeah, I guess that's what I'm asking. After the way everything happened that last night…do you think he's a good person?"

Jeanette gave her answer a lot of thought. "You know, Dani, I only knew Nico those few days that you were visiting, so are you sure you want to hear _my_ opinion?

"Please, Jeanette, I wouldn't ask if I didn't want to know, and I trust you more than anyone"

Jeanette nodded her head. "OK. Well, first of all…about what happened at the dinner. I know you were angry because he didn't tell you ahead of time about what he'd learned. I get that, Dani, I really do. But I think you need to look at it another way."

"Another way?"

"Yes. Look at what that horrible woman put him through, with her lies and her manipulation. If he'd been a person with fewer resources and less intelligence, she might have gotten away with it. I know his 'outing' of…Gabrielle…was a little on the theatrical side, but honestly, if it had been me in his position, I don't know if I could have stopped myself from leaping across the table and shoving a steak knife into her! What she did to him, and you, and Juliette – it was more than anyone should have to bear. "

Dani's eyes were wide as she listened to her friend.

"So if he was stressed out and uncommunicative, and then maybe went a little overboard…well…I guess I'd cut him some slack."

She continued. "And as for the rest, just as a general impression…well…I thought he was one of the kindest men I'd ever met. He was great with the baby, took the time to play with him, even though I'll bet he was never in his life around babies."

Dani laughed. "I'm pretty sure you're right about that."

Jeanette went on. "And… and…how he treated your kids. I mean, he _insisted_ on picking up Lindsay from the airport, when it was obvious how tired he was. And then his little tutoring session with Ray Jay." She laughed at the memory, remembering Ray Jay's level of intoxication when they'd arrived. "Gusto told me that Nico spent a lot of time just talking to Ray Jay that day, not only about Scotch, but about…life.

"And Juliette." Jeanette shook her head. "She told me later how kind Nico was to her when they talked about…her mother, and what she'd said about letting Nico believe he was her father for all those years."

Her voice rose with indignation. "I still can't believe that Gabrielle just came out with that so casually, like it was nothing. Didn't give a thought to how hearing it might make Juliette feel. Things might have been impossibly awkward with Nico from then on – and he seems to be the one stable relationship in Juliette's life. But Nico somehow made her feel OK about it. In the end, I think it might have made them closer than ever."

She hesitated a little then, took a deep breath. She didn't want to upset Dani further.

"And…after he left the restaurant…that night…even when he had to have been completely devastated because he knew you were leaving, he took care of you. He got your plane ticket and arranged for a car to pick you up. He just does those kind things and he doesn't even think about them. I'm sure you can think of plenty of other instances that I don't even know about."

There was a suspicious shine to Dani's eyes. "You mean like lending his baby sister the capital to start her own business? And then keeping track of how it was doing until it got off the ground? Or maybe paying the lion's share of what had to have been a huge bill for his parents' anniversary party because he knew his siblings couldn't afford it? Those kinds of things?"

Jeanette nodded her head. "Yeah, that's just what I meant. I'm not surprised to hear about either of those. Nico is a thoughtful person, and…and… a good person."

Dani's eyes had filled with tears by this time. "Thanks for your input, Jeanette. I think it really helped. I gotta go now."

"Dani, wait! Please let me know what's going on with you. I haven't wanted to call you but…I'm worried about you. So, please…I want to make sure that you're gonna be OK."

"I will. I'll call." It was all Dani could get out before she logged out.

She wouldn't cry. _She wouldn't._ But she couldn't seem to stop.

Lindsay came home that evening to begin her week with Dani. "Hi, Mom," she said, dropping her backpack on the stairs. "I'm so glad to get home. Dad never has anything decent to eat at his place." She found her mother sitting in the kitchen, sipping tea and looking thoughtful. Lindsay sighed. Not yet, she guessed.

Every time Lindsay came back to her Mom's place, she hoped that she'd find that her mother had finally come to her senses about Nico. Other than forcing the issue of the ring box, Lindsay had stayed out of it because it was her mother's business, but this had gone on for weeks now and Lindsay was sick of it. She wanted her cheerful, optimistic mother back, not this…this moping mouse currently seated at the kitchen island.

"OK, Mom. I know it's none of my business, and I'm only 18, and I haven't even had a serious boyfriend, but I've just gotta say something."

Her mother looked up in surprise. "What did you say, Lindsay?"

Lindsay leaned against the kitchen counter, folded her arms across her chest, and looked her mother in the eye.

"Mom, do you remember when we were in Barcelona and you were trying to explain to me about Nico…about you and Nico? How you got together? What took you so long? All that stuff?"

Dani gave her daughter a small smile. She remembered it well, because it was the first time she'd ever talked to Lindsay woman to woman. She told her that now.

"Woman to woman, huh?" Lindsay said. "Well, good, because I think we have to have another one of those conversations. Only this time I'm going to do the talking."

She took a deep breath, astonished at her own nerve. But she at least had to try.

"The thing that made the biggest impression was you telling me how you were scared to have this relationship because you had such strong feelings for…for Nico. Do you remember saying that, Mom?"

"I do, Linds, yes."

Lindsay nodded, took a deep breath. "OK, I just want to say this. I hope…I really, really hope…that this isn't that fear coming back, that you didn't push him away because you're still afraid."

She rushed on before her mother could interrupt. "I've always thought of you as fearless, Mom. You've kind of been my inspiration because you've always just gone for what you wanted. So it would be a shame if you let fear keep you from being happy now."

Dani looked at her daughter in amazement. "You think it would be a shame if Nico and I…well, if we didn't work it out?"

"I really do, Mom. I know I was a little, uh, skeptical about Nico at first. Honestly, I think a lot of that was just because you hadn't told me about him and I was being stupid and selfish. But the rest – well, I didn't really _know_ him except for that time he busted Ray Jay and me at the Hawks stadium. And I was just a kid."

She laughed, thinking about her 15-year-old self. "He scared us, and I'm pretty sure that's exactly what he was trying to do. But that was just him doing his job, I know that now.

"But everything that happened in Barcelona? As far as I'm concerned, after what Gabrielle Pittman pulled, I thought that Nico showed a ton of self-restraint. I know just how scary he can be, and he could have really gone off on her, but he didn't. I kind of admired that."

"So you _approve _of Nico?" Dani was surprised.

Lindsay thought a moment. "Yeah, I guess I do. Ray Jay was right. He's a very cool guy."

Dani smiled at her daughter. "First Jeanette and now you."

"You talked to Jeanette…and she agrees with me?"

Dani just nodded her head.

"Well, that ought to tell you something," was Lindsay's parting shot as she headed up the stairs.

Dani finished her tea and thought that her daughter was fast growing into a very perceptive woman.

When she went to bed that night, Dani went through the same evening ritual that she'd established over the past few weeks. She brushed her hair, and her teeth. She removed her make-up and washed her face. She put on one of her comfortable nightgowns and got into bed.

And then she opened the drawer in her bedside table, took out the blue box, and smoothed her hand across it. She stared at it, as though mesmerized by the light glinting off its velvety surface. Then she put it back in the drawer and turned out the light.

But she still didn't open the box.


	21. Chapter 21: The Blue Box

Chapter 21: The Blue Box

It had been nearly a month since Dani had come home from Barcelona in a daze, clutching the blue box, and she still felt like she was stuck. She remembered the last time she'd felt 'stuck' like this, remembered that she'd forced herself to make a choice that time, and that it had been the wrong choice. So even though it was hard, this time she wanted to be absolutely sure.

And it _was_ hard. And becoming harder every day.

She and Nico still worked together with clients and other employees, and she found she could manage that. There were always other people around then, and Dani was able to maintain her composure and professionalism without much difficulty. But the lunches, those few hours in the week when she was alone with Nico, those were the tough moments. She'd sit there each time, talking and eating, outwardly composed, but inside she was trembling, and all she really wanted to do was to pull him out of his seat, drag him off to the nearest quiet corner, wrap her arms around him, and never let go.

Instead, she forced herself to limit their physical contact to a brief hug – nothing at all would have been impossible – while she waited to figure it all out. Waited to become unstuck.

But she didn't try to fool herself. Those brief hours had become the focus of her entire life.

So when Nico was gone for a few days on V3 business, and they had to miss their Wednesday lunch, Dani found it hard to contain her disappointment. But she reminded herself that it was only two days until their Friday lunch. But then he had to cancel Friday, too, because he was going to be tied up for the entire day with a group of Japanese businessmen who wanted V3 to manage the American affairs of their clients.

And she just knew it was going to be almost impossible for her to sit in her office, calmly working, knowing Nico was in the building, but unavailable, after the disappointment of two missed lunches in a row. So when a patient who wanted a private appointment called, she scheduled the appointment for that Friday morning at her home, and decided to take the rest of the day off.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dani had just shown her patient to the door and was wondering what to do with the rest of her day, when she heard the ding that accompanies an incoming email and decided to take a quick peek. When she saw who it was from, she had to sit down quickly and take some shallow breaths while she screwed up her courage to open it. Because the email was from Nico's sister, Liz.

Finally clicking on it with shaking hands, Dani found the message was short and to the point.

"Hi Dani," it read. "I meant to send these pictures ages ago, but it slipped my mind. There are a couple of great ones of you and my big brother. Hope we'll get a chance to see you again soon. Liz."

She saw there was an attachment, and she knew they must be the pictures from the anniversary party.

Dani sat there a long time, trying to decide if she really wanted to torture herself with pictures taken on a night that she had been so extraordinarily happy, but in the end, she couldn't seem to stop herself.

She opened the attachment, and started to work her way through the photos.

Most of them made her smile, as she remembered the Careleses and all their kindness. Yes, there she was, and there was Nico, and his brothers and sisters, and parents, and there they were again –

Dani stopped suddenly, just staring at the picture that had come up on the screen. She remembered the occasion of that photo perfectly. Nico was being his dour self, Liz had complained to him, and Dani had poked him in the ribs to get him to smile. She'd looked up at him, just as a smiling Nico had looked down at her, and the photographer had taken the shot.

As she looked at that picture now, she knew it wasn't just a snapshot of a man and a woman in their party finery, smiling for the camera. In fact, they weren't even looking at the camera. They were looking at each other. And even though she was one of the two people in that picture, she gasped at the expressions on their faces.

Because this was a picture of love.

And suddenly that film, the one that she couldn't remember, the one that contained all those vignettes of two lovers getting to know one other, _that_ film came back to her full force.

And as she continued to look at the picture on the screen, her eyes filled with tears. Is this what it looks like, she asked herself. I know what it_ feels_ like, but is this how we look at each other, as though the rest of the world only existed in our peripheral vision? How can anyone else stand to be around us?

And she laughed at that. Maybe they couldn't, she thought.

She didn't even realize that she was crying until her eyes were so blurry that she could no longer see the picture. So she wiped her eyes, blew her nose, and asked herself, what the hell is wrong with me?

I love this man more than I ever thought I could love anyone, and he feels the same. He's a good person, Jeanette said so. Lindsay reminded me about his extraordinary self-control. And Juliette said he'd never let her down. And I didn't need any of them to tell me those things because I know him better than anyone. I know what kind of a man he is.

_I know what kind of a man he is._ But for a little while there, I forgot.

She felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off her heart. She laughed as she thought of her daughter's recent words to her. Lindsay had said that she thought her mother was fearless, but for a little while, Dani had forgotten that, too. But today was the day that she remembered. Today was the day that she finally knew what she wanted, and was going to find the courage to make it happen.

Sitting still was impossible now, as she tried to make a plan. Oh, yes. First things first. She looked around her office desk in a daze, shaking her head when she realized she wasn't going to find what she needed there.

Lindsay, she thought. I'll bet Lindsay has what I need. She flew up to her daughter's bedroom and rummaged around in her desk until she found what she was looking for. Aha! Here it is, a whole stack of photographic printer paper.

She grabbed a bundle of it and rushed back downstairs to load it into her printer. Now – pick the size, crop a little here and there, and the picture was printing. Two copies, she'd need. No, three. Better to be safe than sorry.

While she waited impatiently for the ink to dry, Dani started searching for the perfect frame. She thought she had some in the built-in cabinet in her living room. No, not that drawer. Yes, here they were. She found a simple silver frame and popped the picture into it.

And there it was. Love, framed in sterling silver.

What next? Her mind was racing now and she ran back upstairs to change her clothes. What should she wear? The green dress from the V3 party – no, she'd worn that to dinner in Paris with Gabrielle. The red dress? Ugh, no. Bad memories of Barcelona.

Then she thought of the ring. Maybe it was time to open that box. Maybe she'd let the ring decide. She knew she was being fanciful, like she was some character in one of those interminably long fantasy movies, but she couldn't help thinking that the ring would somehow lead her in the right direction.

She'd looked at that ring box for weeks now, held it in her hand dozens of times, but she'd never found the courage to open it. But today, she didn't even hesitate. In a flash, she tore open the drawer and lifted the cover on the box. And there it was.

She laughed when she saw the ring, and knew she'd been right. It had told her what to wear after all. The ring was a gorgeous square-cut emerald, surrounded by diamonds, and mounted in a delicate white-gold filigree setting that revealed its age. It was an extraordinarily beautiful piece of jewelry.

She went into her closet to find the emerald-green dress from Paris. This was clearly the occasion she had been waiting for.

Her hair, she decided, she would leave down around her shoulders. She curled it expertly and applied some make-up. Her hands were shaking so that she had to wipe off her eyeliner and apply it a second time. She laughed at her own clumsiness.

And then she put on the dress. Just as she remembered, it fit her perfectly, and needed nothing to enhance it. She found some small diamond studs and put them in her ears, and completed the outfit with a pair of 4-inch black heels. Gotta have my stilts, she thought to herself, laughing as she remembered Nico's teasing nickname for her shoes.

Now what? Oh, yes, the picture. She'd left it in the living room. She went down and grabbed it and her coat and was almost out the door before she remembered.

The ring. She ran back upstairs and closed the blue box again, dropping it into her purse.

XXXXXXXXXX

It didn't take Dani nearly as long to get to V3 as it usually did, since it was late morning when she left, and not the middle of the morning commute time. She left her car in the commuter lot, and just made the train into the city by the skin of her teeth.

When she walked into her office, Paloma looked up, puzzled. She was almost certain that Dani had told her that she wasn't coming in today, that she was going to be working from home.

She watched as Dani removed her coat, then took something out of her bag and put it on her desk. A framed photograph, Paloma thought, but she couldn't see the subject of the picture because it was turned toward Dani's seat.

But then Dani did something a little...odd. She was on her way out of her office, but just as she reached the doorway she turned and retraced her steps, picked up the picture, and turned it around so that it was facing outwards and could be seen by anyone who happened to look into the room. Paloma could see the satisfied look on Dani's face as she nodded at the photograph's new position on her desk. And then Dani left her office and went out into the corridor.

Paloma couldn't help herself. It was a little too far to be able to see the photo from her office and she just had to know what image Dani had so vehemently placed on the corner of her desk for all the world to see. So she went around the glass wall and through the open door into Dani's office. She stopped when she got to the picture, and tears came into her eyes.

It was a picture of Dani and Mr. Careles. When Paloma looked at it, at the expressions on their faces as they gazed at one another, it took her breath away. Dani was making a statement and she wanted everyone to know. Paloma hurried to follow Dani out to the corridor that ran around the perimeter of the soaring two-story atrium. She was watching when Dani spotted the person she'd been looking for, a person who was currently escorting a large group of very dignified men across the atrium floor.

"Nico!" Dani called out to him in such a loud voice that even in that place filled with glass, where noise often bounced around and echoed, he couldn't possibly have failed to hear her.

"Dani?" He looked up then with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Don't move," she said. "I'll be right down."

XXXXXXXXXX

It was unusual for the chief of security to personally interact with prospective clients, although he often vetted them. But this particular group of Japanese businessmen was obsessed with security: physical security, financial security, computer security. They even wanted to check out the bathrooms and the cafeteria. And they'd specifically requested the very well-respected Nico Careles as their escort, so he couldn't even foist this job off on one of his underlings.

Not that he would ever let it affect his professional demeanor, but he'd been at it all morning now and he was getting tired of it. He knew that this was an important client and that their concerns about security were legitimate, but Japanese was _not_ one of his five languages, and every piece of information had to be passed through an interpreter, and that had made his entire morning extremely tedious.

It was approaching the lunch hour, and the clients had insisted that they would be just as happy to eat in the V3 cafeteria, so he was escorting them there now, hoping to take a small break for himself. He was just crossing the atrium floor with his flock, when he heard his named called from above.

Heard it called by…Dani? But that wasn't possible, because she wasn't even in today. It was the principal reason he'd been so annoyed about having to perform these escort duties personally. After missing their Wednesday lunch, he'd then been forced to cancel his Friday lunch with Dani. As a result, he'd barely seen her all week. And then she'd suddenly taken the whole day off, so he hadn't even been able to look forward to those occasional glimpses he'd have of her during the normal workday.

He looked up then. It _was_ Dani. What the hell?

"Dani?" he called back.

"Don't move. I'll be right down."

The Japanese are a very polite race, so they waited patiently when Nico stopped their forward motion towards the cafeteria. She'd asked him to wait, so he would. He hadn't thought he'd see her at all today, thought he'd have to wait until at least Monday to see her smile again, so he was happy to wait for her, no matter what she wanted.

And he had no idea what that was.

The elevator doors opened and she walked out, and he noticed that she was moving as if she had a purpose. He also noticed how she looked, because she looked amazingly beautiful.

Not that Dani ever looked less than attractive, but that dress she was wearing - he didn't actually keep track of her clothes, but he knew he'd never seen it before. It was emerald green, and he thought that the material must be silk from the way it shimmered in the artificial lights that surrounded the atrium.

She walked toward him now and smiled – a smile such as he hadn't seen on her face in weeks.

"I didn't think you were coming in today, Dani." He was a little puzzled.

He glanced back at his group of Japanese businessmen, who'd all suddenly become very quiet, intent on observing their escort's interaction with the beautiful woman in the green dress.

Nico remembered his manners then.

"Gentlemen, this is Dr. Dani Santino, the resident therapist here at V3." He could see the interpreter speaking softly to the others.

The Japanese nodded to her courteously, but the normally polite Dani barely spared them a glance as she gave them a cursory, "Hello."

"I need to talk to you, Nico."

Nico shot her a puzzled glance.

"Dani, I'm working." He said it softly.

"I can see that." She hadn't moderated her voice at all. Discretion was not her aim. "But you'll just have to stop working."

Besides the Japanese businessmen, there had been a few others in the atrium area when Dani had first made her appearance. And then other curious individuals besides Paloma had poked their heads out of offices and doorways, wondering at the odd conversation taking place. TK had been talking to his manager when he'd heard Dani's voice, and he had looked out casually to see what she was up to.

But then she told Nico Careles to stop working, and everyone who was watching the scene became suddenly silent, motioning through the glass walls to their colleagues to join them on the upper walkway, or on the outskirts of the atrium itself. And all were now waiting to see what might happen next.

Dani didn't notice; she was focused solely on her objective.

And Nico? He shook his head in disbelief. What the hell was she doing?

She smiled at him then, a radiant smile. "I think you have something you want to ask me, don't you?"

It was clutched in her hand. The blue box. He saw it then as she unfurled her palm, opened the box, took out its contents, and carefully bent down to place the box itself on the floor beside her.

She took the emerald and diamond ring, and smiled at him in delight as she pushed it onto the third finger of her left hand. It fit perfectly, as she had known it would.

The folders that Nico had been carrying fell out of his hands onto the floor, and he just stared at her, the Japanese businessmen completely forgotten.

"I seem to remember you telling me that if I ever put _this _ring on _this _finger, that you would ask me to marry you. Does that promise still apply?"

Nico looked around him at all the staring faces. Dani did not; she only looked at Nico.

"Yes, I know," she said. "We have an audience. But we had an audience when you made that promise, and that didn't seem to bother you."

And suddenly, Nico Careles was the single happiest man in the city of New York.

"Dani," he said, "are you sure?"

"Are you looking at my ring finger, Careles?"

And he smiled then, a real smile, and many of the V3 employees and clients who were watching them - and there were dozens now assembled around the atrium, all standing in complete and utter silence - thought that they must be hallucinating. They'd never expected to see Nico Careles actually smile.

"Dani Santino," he said, walking across the few feet that now separated them, his voice cracking slightly. He took a deep breath and started again.

"Dani Santino, love of my life," he said the words softly, but the acoustics in the room carried them to every corner. By then he was standing right in front of her, so he reached out and touched her cheek, smiled at her softly.

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Definitely, yes." The words were out of her mouth practically before he'd stopped speaking.

She threw herself into his arms, kissing him for all she was worth, and he was kissing her back with equal fervor. It had been so long since he'd touched her, really touched her, and he couldn't seem to let her go.

And so they didn't notice, at first, the cheers and the applause that had erupted around them. Not that they really cared. But Connor McClane heard it. He'd been waiting in the cafeteria for the Japanese businessmen to show up when he heard the noise coming from the atrium, and followed it to its source.

It was certainly no surprise to him that his chief of security and his resident therapist might be found kissing, because he'd discerned their feelings about one other a while ago. But he'd hardly expected to find them doing so in the middle of the V3 atrium. He reached the pair just as they became fully aware of their audience and broke off their prolonged embrace. He could see that Santino was actually blushing. He also noticed the gorgeous emerald and diamond ring on her hand and realized suddenly that he had come in at the tail end of what must have been a very public proposal of marriage.

He was amazed. He didn't think that Careles had it in him to be that open. Hell, he didn't think that he himself would have the balls to propose in such a public setting.

"Santino, Careles, let me be the first to congratulate you."

Nico was suddenly aware of how inappropriate they'd been, on just about every level.

"Uh, Connor. I'm sorry about this. It wasn't planned…it just sort of happened. I know it was completely unprofessional , and uh…" Nico trailed off, still too stunned by the turn of events to form a coherent sentence.

"Are you kidding, Careles? Look around you, look at all those cell phones pointed down this way. Don't you know that this whole thing is going to be on YouTube in about five minutes? And I'm glad, because I missed the actual event, so I'll need to take a look."

And Connor McClane smiled his famous shit-eating grin.

"And do you have any idea of the amount of fabulous _publicity_ we're going to get out of this? You can't _buy _that kind of publicity. I'll have people crawling out of the woodwork who want to work here or sign with us."

He rubbed his hands together in anticipation of future business.

Dani looked as though she'd been hit by a bus, but Nico just look amused.

"YouTube?" Dani gasped. "Oh, my God, Nico, I'm so sorry."

He laughed and hugged her tighter. "Do you think I give a damn about that? As far as I'm concerned, they can broadcast it on the big screen at Yankee Stadium."

"Yankee Stadium." Connor McClane looked thoughtful. "You know, that gives me an idea."

He looked at them both, wondering if they'd ever go for it.

"There's been an engagement, so there has to be a wedding, right? And, I mean, let's not dilly-dally about it. After all, you two aren't getting any younger."

Their faces went blank at that.

He looked around then, and their eyes followed his around the atrium.

"Don't you think," he asked, "that this would be a perfect place for a wedding? Huh? HUH? It's huge. Plenty of space for a lot of chairs. We can make an aisle for Santino to walk down right here. And then up at that end, you could have the priest, rabbi, or JP of your choice. Great idea, right?"

They could scarcely believe what he was proposing, and it showed in their faces. Undeterred, Connor McClane forged ahead in his most persuasive manner, his famous grin in place.

"So what do you say? Santino? Careles? Yes or yes?"

XXXXXXXXXX

After the initial wave of cheers and applause, most of those who had been watching this tender moment seemed unsure how to react. This was Nico Careles, after all, a man who intimidated all but the most intrepid, and so they waited to see what the others would do.

But Paloma Madsen didn't wait and she didn't hesitate. Indeed, she ran down the stairs – not stopping even to wait for the elevator – rushed across the atrium and scooped Dani into her arms. She was crying, had been crying from the moment Dani had taken the ring out of the box and put it on her finger.

"I knew it," Paloma said. "I knew I had it right."

Dani just laughed. "You did, Paloma. I guess I couldn't hide it from you."

"Oh, no, Dani, you hid it pretty well." She looked at Nico then. "But Mr. Careles - I knew about him from day one."

And then some of the others who had been watching came forward, offering congratulations, most of them in a quick and casual way.

But there was one person who was going to be neither quick nor casual, and they heard his booming laugh long before he reached them.

"Well, all I gotta say to you is that it's about damn time!" TK's grin was firmly in place. "I mean, I been watching this little song and dance you two been doin' for 'bout three years now, and it was gettin' just a little old."

"Terrence, thank you…Oh," Dani said as TK pulled her into an embrace.

"Now don't you all forget that TK _will_ be expectin' an invite to the main event."

And Nico actually smiled at that. "I think we can probably manage that, TK."

"Oh, you'll have plenty of room here. Have whoever you want." Connor McClane was apparently going to moonlight as their wedding planner.

McClane had checked YouTube, and, as he predicted, the video of their engagement was going viral, and he was into the spirit of it now. He told Careles he could take the rest of the day off, and that he'd handle the Japanese businessmen himself.

"Dani," Nico said. "I appear to be off duty. What do you say we get the hell out of here?"

She nodded.

"Where would you like to go?" he asked.

Dani smiled at him coyly. "You know, Nico. I've never seen where you live. Don't you think I should, I mean before we make this thing official?"

And Nico, who had spent months sitting alone in his apartment, dreaming of Dani being there with him, did not need to be asked twice.

They got out of there in record time. Since Nico lived in the city, they were into a taxi and back to his place in less time than she could have imagined.

Dani wanted to look around his apartment, but she barely had time to take off her coat before Nico picked her up and carried her into his bedroom.

"Nico," she said, voicing what would be her last coherent thought for several hours, "don't you think that we should call people – let them know. You know, my kids, Juliette, Jeanette, your family. They'll all want to know right away…"

But she never even got to finish that sentence before he was kissing her senseless.

"Later, Dani." He smiled his crooked smile, the one that made her toes curl. "Right now," he said as he helped her out of her dress and into his bed, "I have other plans."

XXXXXXXXXX

"So what made you change your mind?" It was several hours later, but they were still curled up in his very comfortable bed. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wondered if he really wanted to know.

"I didn't change my mind, Nico. I never stopped loving you." She fingered the ring that was sitting on her left hand and looked up at him with a smile.

"I'm only sorry it took me so long to figure it out. Sorry that I put us both through this."

Nico smiled in return. "Well, I won't say I enjoyed the last month. In fact, it was pretty goddamned awful. But if it helped you to figure out what I've known for a long time, then it was worth it."

She breathed a little sigh, trying to explain. "I was just so confused. Our vacation started out so perfectly, and then things…began to happen. After a while, I was so tired and angry and stressed, and every day, there seemed to be something new to worry about. In the end I just…I wasn't thinking the right way round."

"The right way round?"

"Yes. I became so focused on the one thing that I was most afraid of…you not being open with me, keeping secrets from me…that I somehow forgot about all of your wonderful qualities. And I needed to be reminded."

"I have wonderful qualities?" He was teasing her now.

"Well, according to Juliette, and Jeanette, and even Lindsay, you have many wonderful qualities."

"I paid them very well for their endorsements, you know," he smirked. But she could see that he was touched.

"And I guess we need to thank Liz, too."

"You talked to Liz?"

"No, I didn't talk to her. I got an email from her this morning with pictures from your parents' party."

"Yes, I think she sent me the same pictures." He paused, sighed, looked away from her for an instant, then laughed a little ruefully. "I didn't have the guts to look at them."

She smiled at him. "I felt the same, but I'm glad I changed my mind. It's why I'm here, now, with you."

Nico got that patented quizzical look on his face.

"Do you have that email handy?" she asked.

He grabbed his iPad off the nightstand and pulled up his email account. "Here they are. She just sent them this morning."

"Go ahead and open them up."

"Why?" He was more than curious now.

Dani gave him an enigmatic smile. "Nico, even after talking to Juliette, Jeanette, and Lindsay, I still couldn't seem to understand about…us. Not until I looked at one of the pictures in that group. That picture told me everything I needed to know."

"Which picture?" He had the file open now, was starting to scroll through the photos.

"Why don't you see if you can figure it out?"

But he already had. He'd stopped at the picture of the two of them, the same one that was now sitting in a silver frame on the desk in her office.

He smiled at her, nodded, and said, "Yeah, I see what you mean. I need to print this off."

She laughed. "Don't bother, I've got two copies at home – and one on the desk in my office at V3."

"You put this picture in your office at work?" He could hardly believe it.

She laughed. "I think that picture is the least of it, Nico. Remember, I'm the woman who made your proposal famous on YouTube."

"That's true. I guess I'll be hearing about it for a while," he laughed.

"Oh, yeah, once it's out there it never goes away."

Nico suddenly looked thoughtful. "And why _did_ you do that, Dani? I don't mean why did you do it _that _way, I mean, why did you do it at all?"

He picked up her hand and kissed the finger that was now adorned by his ring, and looked up at her. "You know I want to marry you, Dani. I hardly made any secret of that. But you could have just…come back to me. You didn't have to promise to marry me. I would have been happy just to be with you again."

He knew he probably shouldn't press his luck, but he just had to know.

"But you got yourself engaged to me. Why?"

"Sometimes, Nico Careles, you are a great stupid oaf." She frowned and shook her head.

"Is that one of my wonderful qualities?" he teased.

Dani rolled her eyes.

"Why do you want to marry me, Nico?" she asked him.

His answer came instantaneously. "Because I love you more than anything in the world and I can't imagine living without you."

Her smile was filled with amusement and affection. "Then I think you answered your own question."

"Oh," he said simply, returning her smile, his eyes alight with happiness.

"And don't forget," she added with a laugh. "We aren't getting any younger."

**THE END**

**Please click "Next" for a message from the author.**


	22. A Message from the Author

Dear Readers –

Thanks to all of you who have stuck with this story to the very end. I really hope that you enjoyed it because I had a blast writing it. If you couldn't tell from the story, I absolutely adore Dani and Nico. They just have a chemistry that leaps off the screen. They always seem so _real_. I wanted them to get together since about the middle of Season 1. And of course the writers and producers took 3 seasons to get them there, and then gave us a total of about 10 minutes of Dani & Nico screen time! Sheesh!

This is my first fan fiction. In fact, I only discovered Fan Fiction a few months ago when I was trying to feed my obsession with _Necessary Roughness_. After reading all the wonderful offerings by so many great authors, I decided to give it a try myself. This story was rattling around in my head and it just wouldn't go away until I wrote it down, and that's how the first few chapters were born.

It gave me pause (and pissed me off!) when the show was cancelled when I was about halfway through writing the story. I fleetingly (very fleetingly) considered not bothering to finish it, but then I thought, what the hell! I might just as well give these characters the ending I would have wanted them to have if only USA been clever enough NOT to cancel such a great show. And then many of you wrote reviews that said you were counting on me to finish. I didn't want to let you all down.

Thanks to all who Faved, Followed, and Reviewed, especially those of you who were nice enough to review more than once, and those of you who sent me Private Messages. I appreciated them all. They are what really kept me going when I wasn't sure where to take the story next. Your kind words of encouragement and interest made this a labor of love.

So now that the story is finished, if you'd like to tell me what you thought of it, please fill in the little Review box and send it on its way. Whether you've been a regular reviewer or never reviewed at all, either way I'd really like to hear from you. Who knows? Given enough encouragement, I might just embark on a sequel.

(I just won't tell my husband about that plan, because he already thinks that my hogging the desktop computer and staying up all night writing mean that I've turned into a crazy woman. :-D)

Jeanie

December, 2013


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